Harry Potter & The Philosophers Stone: My style
by Nemo Poison
Summary: The first chapter will follow closely to the Harry Potter book with only some differences from the book until ch2 of the story but will follow the story layout loosely. Learning that he the heir of two houses Harry strives to learn more about the wizarding world. In the story he will be intelligent, have a drive to learn things, is wary, more accepting understanding, and abused.
1. The Boy Who Lived

**Disclaimer- The Harry Potter series or that associated with it does not belong to me.**

**Authors note- Have a nice read.**

* * *

Chapter 1

THE BOY WHO LIVED

* * *

Mr. Vernon and Mrs. Petunia Dursley, of number four Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much. They were the last people you'd expect to be involved in anything strange or mysterious, because they just didn't tolerate with such nonsense.

Mr. Vernon Dursley was the director of a firm called Grunnings, which made drills. He was a big, beefy man with hardly any neck, although he did have a very large mustache. Mrs. Petunia Dursley was thin and blonde and had nearly twice the usual amount of neck, which came in very useful as she spent so much of her time craning over garden fences, spying on the neighbors. The Dursleys had a small son called Dudley and in their opinion there was no finer boy anywhere.

The Dursleys had everything they wanted, but they also had a secret. And their greatest fear was that somebody would discover it, they didn't think they could bear it if anyone found out about the Potters. Mrs. Potter was Petunia Dursely's sister, but they hadn't seen each other for several years; in fact, Petunia Dursley pretended that she didn't have a sister, because in her opinion her sister and good-for-nothing husband were as unDursley-ish as it was possible to be. They shuddered to think what the neighbors would say and think if the Potters walked up the street. They knew that the Potters had a small son too, but had never even seen him. The boy was another good reason for keeping the Potters away they didn't want Dudley mixing with a child like that.

When the Dursley's woke up on the dull gray Tuesday they expected it to be like the day before, there was nothing about the cloudy sky outside to suggest that strange and mysterious things would soon be happening all over the country. Vernon Dursley hummed as he picked out one of his many most boring ties for work, and Petunis Dursley gossiped away happily as she wrestled their screaming baby, Dudley into his high chair.

Not one of them noticed a large tawny owl flutter past the window.

At half past eight, Vernon picked up his briefcase pecked Petunia on the cheek tried to kiss Dudley good-bye but missed, because Dudley was now having a tantrum and throwing his cereal at the walls.

"Little tyke," Vernon chortled as he was leaving the house. He got into his car and backed out of number four's drive.

It was on the corner of the street that he first noticed, a cat reading a map. For a second Vernon didn't realize what he had seen, then he quickly jerked his head to look again. There was a tabby cat standing on the corner of Privet Drive, but there wasn't a map in sight. What could he have been thinking of? It must have been a trick of the light. Vernon blinked and stared at the cat, it stared back at him. As he slowly drove around the corner and down the road he watched the cat in his mirror, it was now reading the sign that said Privet Drive. No it was looking at the sign, cats couldn't read maps or signs. Vernon gave himself a little shake and put the cat out of his mind. While he drove towards town he turned his mind to work and thought of nothing except a large order of drills he was hoping to get that day.

On the edge of town drills were driven out of his mind as he sat in the usual morning traffic jam, he couldn't help noticing that there seemed to be a lot of strangely dressed people about. People in cloaks, Vernon couldn't stand people who dressed in funny clothes, the getups you saw on young people nowadays! He supposed this was some stupid new fashion. Drumming his fingers on the steering wheel his eyes fell on a group of those weirdos standing quite close by, they were whispering excitedly together. Vernon was enraged to see that a couple of them weren't young at all! Why, that man had to be older than he was, and he was wearing an emerald green cloak! The nerve of him, but then it struck him that this was probably some silly stunt these people were obviously trying to collect for something. Yes, that would be it, the traffic moved on and a few minutes later Vernon arrived in the Grunnings parking lot his mind back on drills.

Vernon always sat with his back to the window in his office on the ninth floor, if he hadn't he would have found it exceedingly harder to concentrate on drills that morning. As it was so he didn't see the owls swooping past in broad daylight though people down in the street did, they pointed and gazed open mouthed as owl after owl flew overhead. Most of them had never seen an owl even at nighttime. Vernon however had a perfectly normal owl-free morning, he had yelled at five different people. He made several important telephone calls and shouted a bit more, he was in a very good mood until lunchtime. He'd thought that he would go and stretch his legs by making the walk across the road to buy himself a bun or two from the bakery.

He had forgotten all about the people in cloaks until he passed a group of them next to the bakery shop. He eyed them angrily as he walked past the group and into the shop. He didn't know why, but they made him uneasy. This bunch were whispering excitedly too, and he dindn't see any of them holding a single collecting tin at all. It was on his way past them again while clutching two large doughnuts in a bag, that he caught a few words of what they were saying.

"The Potters" "That's right, that's what I heard yes" "Their son, Harry"

Vernon immediately stopped dead in his tracks. Fear flooding him, he looked towards and looking as if he wanted to say something to them. He shoock his head and thought better of it.

He dashed back across the road hurried up to his office and snapped at his secretary not to disturb him. As soon as he sat down he seized his telephone, and was almost finished dialing his home number when he changed his mind. He put the receiver back down and stroked his mustache, thinking. No, he was being stupid Potter wasn't such an uncommon name. He was sure there were lots of people who had the last name Potter and had a son called Harry. Come to think of it he wasn't even sure his nephews name was Harry. He'd never even seen the boy, it could have been Harvey, or Harold. There was no point in worrying Petunia, she always got so upset at any mention of her sister. He didn't blame her, if he'd had a sister like that. But all the same, those people in cloaks.

He'd found it a lot harder to concentrate on drills that afternoon and when he left the building at five o'clock, he was still so disgruntled over the situation that he walked straight into someone just outside the door of the building.

"Sorry." He grunted, as the tiny old man stumbled and almost fell. It was a few seconds before Vernon realized that the man was wearing a violet cloak. He didn't seem upset at being almost knocked to the ground at all, on the contrary his face split into a wide smile. And he said in a squeaky voice that made passersby's stare.

"Don't be sorry my dear sir, for nothing could upset me on this day! Rejoice, for You-Know-Who has gone at last! Even Muggles like yourself should be celebrating on this happy, happy day!"

With that said the old man had quickly hugged Vernon around the middle and walked off.

Vernon stood rooted to the spot for he had just been hugged by a complete stranger, he also thought that he had been called a Muggle whatever that was. He was rattled so hurrying to his car and setting off for home. Hoping he was imagining things which he had never done before, because he didn't approve of imagination.

As he pulled into the driveway of his home number four. The first thing he saw not helping to improve his mood, was the tabby cat that he'd seen that morning. It was now sitting on his garden wall. he was sure it was the same one, it had the same markings around its eyes.

"Shoo!" Vernon called loudly. The cat didn't move, it just gave him a stern look. Was this normal cat behavior? Vernon wondered, trying to pull himself together he let himself into the house. He was still determined not to mention anything to his wife.

Petunia had had a nice, normal day. She told him over dinner all about the wife from next door's problems with her daughter and how Dudley had learned a new word ("Shan't"). Vernon had tried to act normally. When Dudley had been put to bed he went into the living room, he was just in time to catch the last report on the evening news.

"And finally bird-watchers everywhere have reported that the nation's owls have been behaving very unusually today. Although owls normally hunt at night and are hardly ever seen in daylight, there have been hundreds of sightings of these birds flying in every direction since very early this morning. Experts are unable to explain why the owls have suddenly changed their sleeping pattern." The newscaster allowed himself a grin. "Most mysterious. And now, over to Jim McGuffin with the weather. Going to be any more showers of owls tonight, Jim?"

"Well, Ted," the weatherman started, "I don't know about that, but it's not only the owls that have been acting oddly today. Viewers as far apart as Kent, Yorkshire, and Dundee have been phoning in to tell me that instead of the rain I promised yesterday, they've had a downpour of shooting stars! Perhaps people have been celebrating Bonfire Night early. It's not until next week, folks! But I can promise a wet night tonight."

Vernon sat frozen in his armchair, shooting stars all over Britain. Owls flying by daylight. Mysterious people in cloaks all over the place. And a whispers about the Potters.

Petunia came into the living room carrying two cups of tea. It was no good, he'd have to say something to her. He cleared his throat nervously. "Er. Petunia, dear. You haven't heard from your sister lately, have you?"

As he had expected, Petunia looked shocked and angry. After all, they normally pretended she didn't have a sister.

"No," she said sharply. "Why?"

"Funny stuff on the news," he mumbled. "Owls. Shooting stars. And there were a lot of funny-looking people in town today."

"So?" she snapped.

"Well, I just thought. Maybe... That it was something to do with. You know... Her crowd."

Petunia sipped her tea through pursed lips. Vernon wondered whether he dared tell her he'd heard the name "Potter." He decided he didn't dare. Instead he said, as casually as he could. "Their son. He'd be about Dudley's age now, wouldn't he?"

"I suppose so," Petunia said stiffly.

"What's his name again Howard, isn't it?"

"Harry. Nasty common name, if you ask me."

"Oh, yes." Vernon sais, his heart sinking horribly. "Yes, I quite agree."

He didn't say another word on the subject as they went upstairs to bed. While Mrs. Dursley was in the bathroom, he crept to the bedroom window and peered down into the front garden. The cat was still there, it was staring down Privet Drive as though it were waiting for something.

Was he imagining things? Could all this have anything to do with the Potters? If it did. If it got out that they were related to a pair of. Well, he didn't think that he could bear it.

The Dursleys got into bed. Petunia fell asleep quickly but Vernon lay awake, turning it all over in his mind. His last, comforting thought before he fell asleep was that even if the Potters were involved. There was no reason for them to come near him and his wife. The Potters knew very well what he and Petunia thought about them and their kind. He couldn't see how he and Petunia could get mixed up in anything that might be going on, he yawned and turned over. It wouldn't affect them at all.

* * *

How very wrong he was. Vernon might have been drifting off into an uneasy sleep, but the cat on the wall outside was showing no sign of sleepiness. It was sitting still as a statue, its eyes fixed unblinkingly on the far corner of Privet Drive. It didn't so much as quiver when a car door slammed on the next street, nor when two owls swooped overhead. In fact, it was nearly midnight before the cat moved at all.

A man had appeared on the corner the cat had been watching, appearing so suddenly and silently you'd have thought he'd just popped out of the ground. The cat's tail twitched and its eyes narrowed.

Nothing like this man had ever been seen on Privet Drive. He was tall, thin, and very old judging by the silver of his hair and beard, which were both long enough to tuck into his belt. He was wearing long robes a purple cloak that swept the ground, and high-heeled buckled boots. His blue eyes were light bright and sparkling behind half-moon spectacles his nose was very long and crooked, as though it had been broken at least twice. This man's name was Albus Dumbledore.

Albus Dumbledore didn't seem to realize that he had just arrived in a street where everything from his name to his boots was unwelcome. He was busy rummaging in his cloak looking for something. But he did seem to realize he was being watched because he looked up suddenly at the cat, which was still staring at him from the other end of the street. For some reason, the sight of the cat seemed to amuse him. He chuckled and muttered, "I should have known."

He found what he was looking for in his inside his cloak pocket and pulled it out. It seemed to be a silver cigarette lighter. He flicked it open, held it up in the air and clicked it. The nearest street lamp went out with a little pop. He clicked it again the next lamp flickered into darkness. Twelve times he clicked the deluminator until the only lights left on the whole street were two tiny pinpricks in the distance, which were the eyes of the cat watching him. If anyone looked out of their window now, even beady-eyed Petinia Dursley they wouldn't be able to see anything that was happening down on the pavement. Dumbledore slipped the deluminator back inside his cloak and set off down the street toward number four, where he sat down on the wall next to the cat. He didn't look at it, but after a moment he spoke to it.

"Fancy seeing you here, Professor McGonagall."

He turned to smile at the tabby, but it was gone. Instead he was smiling at a rather severe-looking woman who was wearing square glasses exactly the shape of the markings the cat had had around its eyes. She too was wearing a cloak, an emerald one. Her black hair was drawn into a tight bun. She looked distinctly ruffled.

"How did you know it was me?" She asked.

"My dear Professor, I've never seen a cat sit so stiffly."

"You'd be stiff if you'd been sitting on a brick wall all day."

"All day? When you could have been out celebrating? My, I must have passed a dozen feasts and parties on my way here."

Professor McGonagall sniffed angrily.

"Oh yes, everyone's celebrating, all right. "She said impatiently. "You'd think they'd be a bit more careful, but no. Even the Muggles have noticed something's going on. It was on their news." She jerked her head back at the Dursley's dark living room window. "I heard it. Flocks of owls. Shooting stars. They're not stupid. They were bound to notice something. The shooting stars down in Kent, I'll bet that was Dedalus Diggle. He never had much sense."

"You can't blame them," said Dumbledore gently. "We've had precious little to celebrate for eleven years."

"I know that," said Professor McGonagall irritably. "But that's no reason to lose our heads. People are being downright careless, out on the streets in broad daylight. Not even dressed in Muggle clothes, swapping rumors."

She threw a sharp sideways glance at Dumbledore here, as though hoping he was going to tell her something, but he didn't so she went on. "A fine thing it would be if on the very day You-Know-Who seems to have disappeared at last, the Muggles found out about us all. I suppose he really has gone, Dumbledore?"

"It certainly seems so." said Dumbledore. "We have much to be thankful for. Would you care for a lemon drop?"

"A what?"

"A lemon drop. They're a kind of Muggle sweet I'm rather fond of."

"No, thank you." Professor McGonagall said coldly, as though she didn't think this was the moment for lemon drops. "As I say, even if You-Know-Who has gone -"

"My dear Professor, surely a sensible person like yourself can call him by his name? All this 'You- Know-Who' nonsense for eleven years, I have been trying to persuade people to call him by his proper name: Voldemort." Professor McGonagall flinched but Dumbledore who was unsticking two lemon drops, seemed not to notice. "It all gets so confusing if we keep saying 'You-Know-Who.' I have never seen any reason to be frightened of saying Voldemort's name."

"I know you haven 't." said Professor McGonagall sounding half exasperated, half admiring. "But you're different. Everyone knows you're the only one You-Know- oh, all right, Voldemort was frightened of."

"You flatter me," said Dumbledore calmly. "Voldemort had powers I will never have."

"Only because you're too. Well. Noble to use them."

"I'm lucky it's dark, I haven't blushed so much since Madam Pomfrey told me she liked my new earmuffs."

Professor McGonagall shot a sharp look at Dumbledore and said. "The owls are nothing next to the rumors that are flying around. You know what everyone's been saying? About why he's disappeared? About what finally stopped him?"

It seemed that Professor McGonagall had reached the point she was most anxious to discuss, the real reason she had been waiting on a cold hard wall all day. For neither as a cat nor as a woman had she fixed Dumbledore with such a piercing stare as she did now. It was plain that whatever "everyone" was saying, she was not going to believe it until Dumbledore told her it was true. Dumbledore however, was choosing another lemon drop and did not answer.

"What they're saying." She pressed on. "Is that last night Voldemort turned up in Godric's Hollow. He went to find the Potters. The rumor is that Lily and James Potter are. Are. That they're. Dead. "

Dumbledore bowed his head and Professor McGonagall gasped.

"Lily and James. I can't believe it. I didn't want to believe it. Oh, Albus."

Dumbledore reached out and patted her on the shoulder. "I know. I know." He said heavily.

Professor McGonagall's voice trembled as she went on. "That's not all. They're saying he tried to kill the Potter's son, Harry. But. He couldn't. He couldn't kill that little boy. No one knows why or how, but they're saying that when he couldn't kill Harry Potter, Voldemort's power somehow broke. And that's why he's gone.

Dumbledore nodded glumly.

"It's. It's true?"Ffaltered Professor McGonagall. "After all he's done. All the people he's killed. He couldn't kill a little boy? It's just astounding. Of all the things to stop him. But how in the name of heaven did Harry survive?"

"We can only guess" Dumbledore replied. "We may never know."

Professor McGonagall pulled out a lace handkerchief and dabbed at her eyes beneath her spectacles. Dumbledore gave a great sniff as he took a golden watch from his pocket and examined it. It was a very odd watch, it had twelve hands but no numbers; instead little planets were moving around the edge. It must have made sense to Dumbledore though, because he put it back in his pocket and said. "Hagrid's late. I suppose it was he who told you I'd be here, by the way?"

"Yes," said Professor McGonagall. "And I don't suppose you're going to tell me why you're here, of all places?"

"I've come to bring Harry to his aunt and uncle. They're the only family he has left now."

"You don't mean. You can't mean the people who live here." McGonagall cried jumping to her feet and pointing at number four. "Dumbledore. You can't. I've been watching them all day. You couldn't find two people who are less like us. And they've got this son. I saw him kicking his mother all the way up the street, screaming for sweets. Harry Potter come and live here!"

"It's the best place for him." Dumbledore said firmly. "His aunt and uncle will be able to explain everything to him when he's older. I've written them a letter."

"A letter?" Repeated Professor McGonagall faintly, sitting back down on the wall. "Really Dumbledore? You think you can explain all this in a letter? These people will never understand him! He'll be famous. A legend. I wouldn't be surprised if today was known as Harry Potter day in the future. There will be books written about Harry. Every child in our world will know his name!"

"Exactly." Said Dumbledore, looking very seriously over the top of his half-moon glasses. "It would be enough to turn any boy's head. Famous before he can walk and talk! Famous for something he won't even remember! Can't you see how much better off he'll be, growing up away from all that until he's ready to take it?"

Professor McGonagall opened her mouth changed her mind, swallowed and then said. "Yes. Yes, you're right of course. But how is the boy getting here, Dumbledore?" She eyed his cloak suddenly as though she thought he might be hiding Harry underneath it.

"Hagrid's bringing him."

"You think it. Wise. To trust Hagrid with something as important as this?"

"I would trust Hagrid with my life."

"I'm not saying his heart isn't in the right place." Professor McGonagall grudgingly. "But you can't pretend he's not careless. He does tend to- What was that?"

* * *

A low rumbling sound had broken the silence around them. It grew steadily louder as they looked up and down the street for some sign of a headlight, it swelled to a roar as they both looked up at the sky. And a huge motorcycle descended out of the air and landed on the road in front of them.

If the motorcycle was huge, it was nothing to the man sitting astride it. He was almost twice as tall as a normal man and at least five times as wide. He looked simply too big to be allowed, and so wild. Long tangles of bushy black hair and beard hid most of his face, he had hands the size of trash can lids and his feet in their leather boots were like baby dolphins. In his vast muscular arms he was holding a bundle of blankets.

"Hagrid." Dumbledore said sounding relieved. "At last. And where did you get that motorcycle?"

"Borrowed it Professor Dumbledore, sir." The giant ofa man said, carefully climbing off of the motorcycle as he spoke. "Young Sirius Black lent it to me. I've got him, sir."

"No problems, were there?"

"No, sir. The house was almost destroyed, but I got him out all right before the Muggles started swarmin' around. He fell asleep as we was flyin' over Bristol."

Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall bent forward over the bundle of blankets. Inside, just visible was a baby boy fast asleep. Under a tuft of jet-black hair over his forehead they could see a curiously shaped cut, like a bolt of lightning.

"Is that where?" Whispered Professor McGonagall.

"Yes, it must be." Dumbledore said. "He'll have that scar forever."

"Couldn't you do something about it, Dumbledore?"

"Even if I could, I wouldn't. Scars can come in handy. I have one myself above my left knee that is a perfect map of the London Underground. Well. Give him here, Hagrid. We'd better get this over with."

Dumbledore took Harry in his arms and turned towards the Dursleys' house.

"Could I. Could I say goodbye to him, sir?" Hagrid asked. He bent his great shaggy head over Harry and gave him what must have been a very scratchy, whiskery kiss. Then suddenly, Hagrid let out a howl like a wounded dog.

"Shhh!" Professor McGonagall. "You'll wake the Muggles!"

"S-s-sorry." Hagrid sobbed taking out a large, spotted handkerchief and burying his face in it. "But I c-c-can't stand it. Lily an' James dead. An' poor little Harry off ter live with Muggles-"

"Yes, yes it's all very sad, but get a grip on yourself Hagrid. Or we'll be found." Professor McGonagall whispered, patting Hagrid gingerly on the arm as Dumbledore stepped over the low garden wall and walked to the front door. He then laid Harry gently on the doorstep took a letter out of his cloak tucked it inside Harry's blankets, and then came back to the other two. For a full minute the three of them stood and looked at the little bundle, Hagrid's shoulders shook, Professor McGonagall blinked furiously, and the twinkling light that usually shone from Dumbledore's eyes seemed to have gone out.

"Well." said Dumbledore finally. "That's that. We've no business staying here. We may as well go and join the celebrations."

"Yeah." Hagrid said in a very muffled voice. "I'll be takin' Sirius his bike back. G'night, Professor McGonagall. Professor Dumbledore sir."

Wiping his streaming eyes on his jacket sleeve, Hagrid swung himself onto the motorcycle and kicked the engine into life with a roar it rose into the air and off into the night.

"I shall see you soon I expect, Professor McGonagall." Dumbledore said, nodding to her. Professor McGonagall blew her nose in reply.

Dumbledore turned and walked back down the street. On the corner he stopped and took out the silver Deluminator again. He clicked it once, and twelve balls of light sped back to their street lamps so that Privet Drive suddenly glowed orange. And he could make out a tabby cat slinking around the corner at the other end of the street. He could just see the bundle of blankets on the step of number four.

"Good luck, Harry." He murmured. He turned on his heel and with a swish of his cloak, he was gone with a soft pop.

A breeze ruffled the neat hedges of Privet Drive which lay silent and tidy under the inky sky and it started to rain, the very last place you would expect astonishing things to happen. Baby Harry Potter rolled over inside his blankets without waking up. One small hand closed on the letter beside him and he slept on, not knowing he was special, not knowing he was famous, not knowing he would be woken in a few hours' time by Petunia Dursley's scream as she opened the front door to put out the milk bottles, nor that he would spend the next few weeks being prodded and pinched by his cousin Dudley. He didn't know that at this very moment, people meeting in secret all over the country were holding up their glasses and saying in hushed voices: "To Harry Potter- the boy who lived!"

* * *

THE VANISHING GLASS

* * *

Nearly ten years had passed since the Dursleys had woken up to find their nephew on their front step, but Privet Drive had hardly changed at all. The sun rose on the same tidy front gardens and lit up the brass number four on the Dursley's front door, it crept into their living room which was almost exactly the same as it had been on the night when Vernon Dursley had seen that fateful news report about the owls. Only the photographs on the mantelpiece really showed how much time had passed. Ten years ago there had been lots of pictures of what looked like a large pink beach ball wearing different-colored bonnets. But Dudley Dursley was no longer a baby, and now the photographs showed a large blond boy riding his first bicycle, on the carousel at the fair, playing a computer game with his father, being hugged and kissed by his mother. The room held no sign at all that another boy lived in the house too.

Yet Harry Potter was still there asleep at the moment, but not for long. His Aunt Petunia was awake and it was her shrill voice that made the first noise of the day.

"Up! Get up! Now!"

Harry woke with a start. His aunt rapped on the door again.

"Up!" she screeched. Harry heard her walking toward the kitchen and then the sound of the frying pan being put on the stove. He rolled onto his back and tried to remember the dream he had been having. It had been a good one. There had been a flying motorcycle in it. He'd had the same dream before.

His aunt was back outside the door.

"Are you up yet?" She demanded.

"Nearly." Harry repied.

"Well get a move on, I want you finish the bacon and make the rest of breakfast. And don't you dare burn it, I want everything perfect on Duddy's birthday."

Harry groaned.

"What did you say?" His aunt snapped through the door.

"Nothing, nothing."

June the twenty-third, Dudley's birthday. How could he have forgotten. Harry got slowly out of bed and started looking for socks. He found a pair under his bed and, after pulling a spider off one of them put them on. Harry was used to spiders, because the cupboard under the stairs was full of them and that was where he slept.

When he was dressed he went down the hall into the kitchen. The table was almost hidden beneath all Dudley's birthday presents. It looked as though Dudley had gotten the new computer he wanted, not to mention the second television and the racing bike. Exactly why Dudley wanted a racing bike was a mystery to Harry, as Dudley was very fat and hated exercise. Unless of course it involved punching somebody. Dudley's favorite punching bag was Harry, but he couldn't often catch him. Harry didn't look it, but he was very fast.

Perhaps it had something to do with living in a dark cupboard and not getting enough to eat, but Harry had always been small and skinny for his age. He looked even smaller and skinnier because all he had to wear were old clothes of Dudley's, and Dudley was about eight times bigger than he was. Harry had a thin face, knobbly knees, black hair, and bright green eyes. He wore round glasses held together with a lot of Sello tape because of all the times Dudley had punched him on the nose. The only thing Harry liked about his own appearance was a thin scar on his forehead that was shaped like a bolt of lightning. He'd had it for as long as he could remember, and the first question he could ever remember asking his Aunt Petunia was how he had gotten it.

"In the car crash when your parents died." She had said and then smacked him. "And don't ask questions!"

Don't ask questions. That was the first rule for a quiet life with the Dursleys.

Uncle Vernon entered the kitchen as Harry was turning over the bacon.

"Comb your hair!" He barked, by way of a morning greeting.

About once a week, Uncle Vernon looked over the top of his newspaper and shouted that Harry needed a haircut. Harry must have had more haircuts than the rest of the boys in his class put together, but it made no difference his hair simply grew that way. All over the place.

Harry was frying eggs by the time Dudley arrived in the kitchen with his mother. Dudley looked a lot like Uncle Vernon. He had a large pink face, not much neck, small, watery blue eyes, and thick blond hair that lay smoothly on his thick fat head. Aunt Petunia often said that Dudley looked like a baby angel. Harry often said that Dudley looked like a pig in a wig.

Harry put the plates of eggs and bacon on the table, which was difficult as there wasn't much room. Dudley meanwhile, was counting his presents. His face fell.

"Thirty-six." He said, looking up at his mother and father. "That's two less than last year."

"Darling, you haven't counted Auntie Marge's present, see it's here under this big one from Mommy and Daddy."

"All right, thirty-seven then." Said Dudley, going red in the face. Harry, who could see a huge Dudley tantrum coming on, began to eat his piece of taost and water as fast as possible in case Dudley started to throw things everywhere.

Aunt Petunia obviously scented danger too, because she said quickly. "And we'll buy you another two presents while we're out today. How's that, popkin? Two more presents. Is that all right?''

Dudley thought for a moment. It looked like hard work. Finally he said slowly, "So I'll have thirty Thirty."

"Thirty-nine sweetums." Said Aunt Petunia.

"Oh." Dudley sat down heavily and grabbed the nearest parcel. "All right then."

Uncle Vernon chuckled. "Little tyke wants his money's worth, just like his father. 'Atta boy, Dudley!" He ruffled Dudley's hair.

At that moment the telephone rang and Aunt Petunia went to answer it while Harry started to clean up, and Uncle Vernon watched Dudley unwrap the racing bike, a video camera, a remote control airplane, sixteen new computer games, and a VCR. He was ripping the paper off a gold wristwatch when Aunt Petunia came back from the telephone looking both angry and worried.

"Bad news Vernon." She said. "Mrs. Figg's broken her leg. She can't take him." She jerked her head in Harry's direction.

Dudley's mouth fell open in horror, but Harry's heart gave a leap. Every year on Dudley's birthday, his parents took him and a friend out for the day, to adventure parks, hamburger restaurants, or the movies. Every year Harry was left behind with Mrs. Figg, a mad old lady who lived two streets away. Harry hated it there. The whole house smelled of cabbage and Mrs. Figg made him look at photographs of all the cats she'd ever owned.

"Now what?" Aunt Petunia asked, looking furiously at Harry as though he'd planned this. Harry knew he ought to feel sorry that Mrs. Figg had broken her leg, but it wasn't easy when he reminded himself it would be a whole year before he had to look at Tibbles, Snowy, Mr. Paws, and Tufty again.

"We could phone Marge," Uncle Vernon suggested. Harry's stomach plummeted, Aunt Marge hated him.

"Don't be silly Vernon, she hates the boy."

The Dursleys often spoke about Harry like this, as though he wasn't there. Or rather as though he was something very stupid that couldn't understand them like a slug.

"What about what's-her-name, your friend? Yvonne?"

"On vacation in Majorca." Snapped Aunt Petunia.

"You could just leave me here. Or I could go to the library." Harry put in hopefully (he'd be able to relax and read a book without the fear of being called a lazy ungrateful freak, and recieve a beating and no food.)

Aunt Petunia looked as though she'd just swallowed a lemon.

"And come back and find the house in ruins? No you can't go to the library it's closed because of vandalism, or I would have suggested it myself!" She snarled.

"I won't blow up the house," Harry said, but they weren't listening.

"I suppose we could take him to the zoo." Aunt Petunia said slowly. "And leave him in the car."

"That car's new, he's not sitting in it alone!"

Dudley began to cry loudly. In fact, he wasn't really crying. It had been years since he'd really cried. But he knew that if he screwed up his face and wailed, his mother would give him anything he wanted.

"Dinky Duddydums don't cry, Mummy won't let him spoil your special day!" She cried flinging her arms around him.

"I. D-d-don't. W-want. Him. T-t-to come!" Dudley yelled between huge, pretend sobs. "He always sp-spoils everything!" He shot Harry a nasty grin through the gap in his mother's arms.

Just then, the doorbell rang. "Oh, good Lord, they're here!" said Aunt Petunia frantically. And a moment later, Dudley's best friend Piers Polkiss, walked in with his mother. Piers was a scrawny boy with a face like a rat. He was usually the one who held people's arms behind their backs while Dudley hit them. Dudley stopped pretending to cry at once.

* * *

Half an hour later Harry, who couldn't believe that deapite Dudley's tatrum, was sitting in the back of the Dursley's car with Piers and Dudley. On the way to the zoo for the first time in his life. His aunt and uncle hadn't been able to think of anything else to do with him, but before they'd left Uncle Vernon had taken Harry aside.

"I'm warning you." He had said, putting his large purple face right up close to Harry's. "I'm warning you now, boy. Any funny business, anything at all. And you'll be in the cupboard from now until Christmas."

"I'm not going to do anything." Harry said. "Honestly.

But Uncle Vernon didn't believe him. No one ever did.

The problem was strange things often happened around Harry, and it was just no good telling the Dursleys he didn't make them happen.

Once Aunt Petunia, tired of Harry coming back from the barbers looking as though he hadn't been at all, had taken a pair of kitchen scissors and cut his hair so short he was almost bald except for his bangs, which she left, "To hide that horrible scar!" Dudley had laughed himself silly at Harry who'd spent a sleepless night imagining school the next day, where he was already laughed at for his baggy clothes and taped glasses. The next morning however, he had gotten up to find his hair exactly as it had been before Aunt Petunia had sheared it off. He had been given a severe beating and a week in his cupboard with no food for this, even though he had tried to explain that he couldn't explain how it had grown back so quickly.

Another time, Aunt Petunia had been trying to force him into a revolting old sweater of Dudley's. (brown with orange puff balls.) The harder she tried to pull it over his head the smaller it seemed to become, until finally it might have fitted a hand puppet but certainly wouldn't fit Harry. Aunt Petunia had decided it must have shrunk in the wash and, to his great relief, Harry wasn't punished with a beating though he was given more chores and went the night without food.

On the other hand, he'd gotten into quite a bit of trouble for being found on the roof of the school kitchens. Dudley's gang had been chasing him as usual. when much to Harry's surprise as everyone else's, there he was standing on the roof. The Dursley's had received a very angry letter from Harry's headmistress telling them Harry had been climbing school buildings. But all he'd tried to do (as he tried to tell the headmistress) was jump behind the big trash cans outside the kitchen doors. Harry supposed that the wind must have caught him in mid-jump.

But today, nothing was going to go wrong. It was worth being with Dudley and Piers to be spending the day somewhere that wasn't school, library, his cupboard, or Mrs. Figg's cabbage-smelling living room for a change though unexpected as it was.

While he drove, Uncle Vernon complained to Aunt Petunia. He liked to complain about things: people at work, Harry, gays, Harry, the council, Harry, the bank, Harry, were just a few of his favorite subjects. This morning, it was motorcycles.

"-Roaring along like maniacs, the young hoodlums!" He complained, as a motorcycle overtook them.

Harry was immediately reminded of the dream he had that morning, He didn't say anything though as if there was one thing the Dursley's hated even more than him asking questions, it was about anything acting in a way it shouldn't. No matter if it was in a dream or even a cartoon. Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon seemed to think that he might get dangerous ideas.

It was a very sunny Saturday and the zoo was crowded with families. The Dursleys bought Dudley and Piers large chocolate ice creams at the entrance and then, because the smiling lady in the van had asked Harry what he wanted before they could hurry him away, they bought him a cheap lemon ice pop. 'It's not so bad, I like it.' Harry thought licking it as they watched a gorilla scratching its head who looked remarkably like Dudley, except that it wasn't blond and didn't look stupid either.

Harry had the best morning he'd had in a long time. He was careful to walk apart from the Dursleys so that Dudley and Piers, who were starting to get bored with the animals by lunchtime, wouldn't fall back on their favorite hobby of hitting him. They ate in the zoo restaurant, and when Dudley had a tantrum because his knickerbocker glory didn't have enough ice cream on top, Uncle Vernon bought him another one and Harry was allowed to finish the first. (Though there wasn't much left to finish of as Dudley had eaten most of it.

Harry felt afterwards, that he should have known it was all too good to last.

After lunch they went to the reptile house. It was cool and dark in there, with lit windows all along the walls. Behind the glass, all sorts of lizards and snakes were crawling and slithering over bits of wood and stone. Dudley and Piers wanted to see huge, poisonous cobras and thick, man-crushing pythons. Dudley quickly found the largest snake in the place. It could have easily wrapped its body twice around Uncle Vernon's car and crushed it into a trash can. But at the moment it didn't look in the mood to do anything. In fact, it looked like it was fast asleep.

Dudley stood with his nose pressed against the glass, staring at the glistening brown coils.

"Make it move." He whined at his father. Uncle Vernon tapped on the glass, but the snake didn't budge.

"Do it again!" Dudley ordered. Uncle Vernon rapped the glass smartly with his knuckles, but the snake just snoozed on.

"This is boring." Dudley moaned and he shuffled away.

Harry moved in front of the tank and looked intently at the snake. He wouldn't have been surprised to find out if it had died of boredom itself. No company except stupid people drumming their fingers on the glass trying to disturb it all day long. It was worse than having a cupboard as a bedroom, where the only visitors were Aunt Petunia hammering on the door to wake you up or Uncle Vernon coming to punish him; at least he got to visit the rest of the house and outside.

The snake suddenly opened its beady eyes. Slowly very slowly, it raised its head until its eyes were on a level with Harry's.

It winked.

Harry stared. Then he looked quickly around to see if anyone was watching. They weren't. He looked back at the snake and winked, too.

The snake jerked its head toward Uncle Vernon and Dudley, then raised its eyes to the ceiling. It gave Harry a look that said quite plainly.

"I get that all the time."

"I know how that feels." Harry murmured through the glass, though he wasn't sure the snake could hear him. "It must be really annoying."

The snake nodded vigorously.

"Where do you come from, anyway? And was it nice there?" Harry asked.

The snake jabbed its tail at a little sign next to the glass. Harry looked at it and read.

Boa Constrictor, Brazil.

This specimen was bred in the zoo

oo. "Oh, I see. So you've never been to Brazil."

As the snake shook its head sadly, a deafening shout behind Harry made both of them jump.

"DUDLEY! MR. DURSLEY! COME AND LOOK AT THIS SNAKE! YOU WON'T BELIEVE WHAT IT'S DOING!"

Dudley came waddling toward them as fast as he could.

"Out of the way, you," he said, punching Harry in the ribs and pushing him roughly to the side. Caught by surprise, Harry fell hard on the concrete floor in pain. What came next happened so fast no one saw how it happened - one second, Piers and Dudley were leaning right onto the glass, the next they were leaping back with howls of horror.

Harry sat up and gasped, the glass front of the boa constrictor's tank had vanished. The great snake was uncoiling itself rapidly, slithering out onto the floor. People all throughout the reptile house started screaming and running for the exits.

As the snake slid swiftly past him, Harry could have sworn a low, hissing voice said, "Freedom here I come. Thanksss, amigo."

The keeper of the reptile house was in shock.

"But the glass." He kept saying. "Where did the glass go?"

The zoo director made himself Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon a cup of strong, sweet tea while he apologized over and over again. Piers and Dudley could only blubber. As far as Harry had seen, the snake hadn't done anything except snap playfully at their heels as it passed. by the time they were all back in Uncle Vernon's car, Dudley was telling them how it had nearly bitten off his leg while Piers was swearing it had tried to squeeze him to death. But worst of all for Harry at least, was Piers calmed down enough to say. "Harry was talking to it, weren't you, Harry?"

* * *

Uncle Vernon waited until Piers was safely out of the house before starting on Harry. He was so angry he started beating Harry punching and then kicking him, when he had exhausted himself. He managed to say while wheezing. "Go. C-cupboard. Stay. No meals!" Before he collapsed into a chair. And Aunt Petunia had to run and get him a large brandy.

Harry lay in his dark cupboard wishing he had a watch. He didn't know what time it was and he couldn't be sure the Dursleys were asleep yet. Until they were, he couldn't risk sneaking to the kitchen for the first aid kit the Aunt Petunia keeps there for if Dudley ever got hurt.

He'd lived with the Dursleys almost ten years miserable years, for as long as he could remember. Ever since he'd been a baby and his parents had died in that car crash. He couldn't remember being in the car when his parents had died. Sometimes, when he strained his memory during long hours in his cupboard after a beating or when he was sent there by his aunt or uncle, he came up with a strange memory. A sream and a blinding flash of green light, and then another flash of green light and a burning pain on his forehead. This he supposed, was the crash though he couldn't imagine where all the green light came from. He couldn't remember his parents at all. His aunt and uncle never spoke about them, and of course he was forbidden to ask questions. And there were no photographs of them in the house.

When he had been younger, Harry had dreamed and dreamed of some unknown relation coming to take him away. Sadly it had never happened and probably never would. The Dursleys were his only family, yet sometimes he thought (or maybe hoped) that strangers in the street seemed to know him. Very strange strangers they were, too. A tiny man in a violet top hat with a sqeaky voice had bowed to him once while out shopping with Aunt Petunia for Dudley. After asking Harry furiously if he knew the man, Aunt Petunia had rushed them out of the shop without buying anything. A wild-looking old woman dressed all in green had waved merrily at him once on a bus that was stopped for a moment before it took off. And a bald man in a very long purple coat had actually shaken his hand in the street the other day and then walked away without a word. The weirdest thing about all these people was the way they seemed to vanish the second Harry tried to get a closer look.

At school, Harry had no one. Everybody knew that Dudley's gang hated freak Harry Potter in his baggy old clothes and broken glasses, and nobody liked to disagree with Dudley's gang.

* * *

THE LETTERS FROM NO ONE

* * *

The escape of the Brazilian boa constrictor earned Harry his longest-ever punishment. By the time he was allowed out of his cupboard again, the summer holidays had already started by a week. By that time Dudley had already broken his new video camera, crashed his remote control airplane, and first time out on his racing bike, knocked down old Mrs. Figg as she was crossing Privet Drive on her crutches.

Harry was not glad school was over but there was little no escaping Dudley's gang, who visited the house every single day. Piers, Dennis, Malcolm, and Gordon were all big and stupid, but as Dudley was the biggest and stupidest of the lot he was the leader. The rest of them were all quite happy to join in Dudley's favorite and only sport, Harry Hunting.

This was why Harry spent as much time as possible out of the house in the library or wandering around when the library was closed, and thinking about the end of the holidays where he could see a tiny ray of hope. When September came he would be going off to secondary school and, for the first time in ten years he wouldn't be with Dudley. Dudley had been accepted at Uncle Vernon's old private school Smeltings. Piers Polkiss was going there too, Harry on the other hand, was going to Stonewall High the local public school. Dudley thought this was very funny.

"They stuff people's heads down the toilet the first day at Stonewall." He told Harry. "Want to come upstairs and practice?"

"No, thanks." said Harry. "The poor toilet's never had anything as horrible as your head down it. It might not survive th experience." Then he ran before Dudley could work out what he'd said.

On the twenty-third of July, Aunt Petunia took Dudley to London to buy his Smeltings uniform leaving Harry at Mrs. Figg's. Mrs. Figg wasn't as bad as usual. It turned out she'd broken her leg tripping over one of her cats, and she didn't seem quite as fond of them as before. She let Harry sit and read a book about plants, and gave him a bit of chocolate cake that stale.

That evening, Dudley strutted around the living room for the family in his brand-new uniform. Smeltings' boys wore maroon tailcoats, orange knickerbockers, and flat straw hats called boaters. They also carried knobbly sticks, used for hitting each other while the teachers weren't looking. This was supposed to be good training for later life.

As he looked at Dudley in his new knickerbockers, Uncle Vernon said gruffly that it was the proudest moment of his life. Aunt Petunia burst into tears and said she couldn't believe it was her Ickle Dudleykins, he looked so handsome and grown-up. Harry didn't trust himself to speak. He thought two of his ribs might already have cracked from trying not to laugh.

There was a horrible smell in the kitchen the next morning when Harry went in to make breakfast. It was coming from a large metal tub in the sink. He went to have a look. The tub was full of what looked like dirty rags swimming in gray water.

"What's this supposed to be?" He asked Aunt Petunia. Her lips tightened as they always did whenever he dared to ask a question.

"Your new school uniform." She said.

Harry looked in the bowl again.

"Oh." He said. "Why is it in the simk in grey water?"

"Don't be stupid." Aunt Petunia snapped. "I'm dyeing some of Dudley's old things gray for you. It'll look just like everyone else's once I'm finished."

Harry seriously doubted this, but knew that it was best not to argue. He started cooking breakfast and tried not to think about how he was going to look on his first day at Stonewall High. Like he was wearing bits of old elephant skin, probably.

Dudley and Uncle Vernon came in, both with wrinkled noses because of the mixed smell from Harry's new uniform and breakfast made. Uncle Vernon opened his newspaper as usual and Dudley banged his Smelting stick, which he carried everywhere on the table. Harry served them their food and ate his toast and bit of eggs with some water, finishing he then started to clean.

They heard the click of the mail slot and flop of letters on the doormat.

"Get the mail, Dudley," Uncle Vernon said distracted from behind his paper.

"Make the Freak get it."

"Get the mail Freak."

Harry got up but appaerently not fast enough for Uncle Vernon, he looked up and said.

"Hit him with your Smelting stick, Dudley."

Harry dodged the Smelting stick and went to get the mail. Three things lay on the doormat a postcard from Uncle Vernon's sister Marge, who was vacationing on the Isle of Wight, a brown envelope that looked like a bill, and. A letter for Harry.

Shocked Harry picked it up and stared at it, his heart twanging like a giant elastic band. No one ever, in his whole life had written to him. Who would? He had no friends, no other relatives. He never took any books out on loan from the library because he feared Uncle Vernon would destroy them, so he'd never even got rude notes asking for books back. Yet here it was, a letter addressed so plainly there could be no mistake.

* * *

Mr. H. Potter

The Cupboard under the Stairs

4 Privet Drive

Little Whinging

Surrey

* * *

The envelope was thick and heavy made of yellowish parchment, and the address was written in emerald-green ink. There was no stamp.

Turning the envelope over, his hand trembling. Harry saw a purple wax seal bearing a coat of arms; a lion, an eagle, a badger, and a snake surrounding a large letter H.

"Hurry up, boy!" Uncle Vernon shouted impaitiently from the kitchen. "What are you doing, checking for letter bombs?" He chuckled at his own joke.

Harry quickly went over to his cupboard and stuffed the letter under his cot to read later, and rushed back to the kitchen. He handed Uncle Vernon the bill and the postcard, and began to gather the empty dirty dishes from Uncle Vernon and Dudley. Aunt Petunia had moved the metal tub with his uniform to the laundry room to finsh it, and began to wash the dishes thinking about his letter that was in his cupboard and what it was about.

Uncle Vernon ripped open the bill snorted in disgust, and flipped over the postcard.

"Marge's ill." He informed Aunt Petunia who had just come back from the laundry room. "Ate a funny whelk."

Ater that Harry tuned them out and finished with his chores and going back to his cupboard intent on reading the letter. Opening the door to his cupboard he went in closed the door and got his letter from where he had stuffed it. He turned on the light so he could read.

Harry broke the seal took out the letter that was written on the same heavy parchment as the envelope was, which read.

* * *

HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

Headmaster: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)

Dear Mr. Potter,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31. Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall,

Deputy Headmistress

* * *

Harry was confused why would he get a letter that couldn't be a joke from any of the Dursley's, as both his aunt and uncle were adament the magic was not real and Dudley was too stupid to think of it. He looked the letter over again and wondered what they meant by 'We await your owl.' He supposed that magic could be real as what could explain all the things that the Dursleys blame him for, like jumping on the roof, the sweater that shrank, his hair that grows back really fast, and most recently the vanishing glass at the zoo.

Harry guessed that if magic was real and he had it, that maybe he could try out something that the Dursley's wouldn't see.

'But what can I do?' Harry thought.

Remembering all of what he has done he decides on which thing he could do that would get him in the least trouble if he was caught. He decided to make his hair grow as Uncle Vernon is most used to that. With that decided he found a problem. Just how could he do this as he never knew he was doing it when things happen. So as Harry thought of the problem he decided that he'd go to the library and look at the fairy tail books they had on magic.

Getting out of the cupboard and leaving the house queitly he headed out to the library. As it was still morning an monday Dudley would be at home in front of the telly. Getting to the library, going inside passing the kind librarian with a smile and wave. He went to the fiction shelf and started browsing through the books he took a few that looked good, and headed off to an empty table in a secluded corner to read.

After he had looked through and read the books Harry came to the conclsion that you probably may need a wand or staff, but he had possibly been doing magi for years. Granted he didn't know that he was doing magic, but it was all the same. So looking around to see if he was alone which he was, as it was summer and a monday. So he wanted to try and make his hair grow, he concentrated on making his hair grow. After two hours of trying Harry started to get frustrated, mad and worried the maybe it was all a joke. When he felt a rush of warmth run through him and his hair started to grow like crazy, in startled surpised at what was happening Harry watched as his hair grew until it touched the floor. Happy that he could do magic and that it was real, he looked at his hair and realized how long it was.

Panicked now, Harry knew that this wouldn't go over well with Uncle Vernon at all. He concentrated on trying to figure out how it was that he did the magic, he remembered the rush of warmth that went through him just before his hair started growing. He concentrated on that, now looking for that feeling he was surprised that he found it so easily. When earlier it was so difficult to get his hair to start growing, anyway he concentrated on that feeling and wished his hair back to normal. Sluggishly the warmth moved through him, and a second later did as he had bid it too. Happy now that he had proven to himself that magic was real, and the letter not a joke he was tired from sitting there for hours and went back to the Dursley's home.

When he got back to the Dursley's he was just in time for them to demand that he make them their dinner, and so he did that without fuss and did as he was told. After dinner he cleaned up and went to bed.

* * *

The next morning Harry woke up late and had to rush to make breakfast before Vernon and Dudley came to demand threir food, he'd just set the table when they came in the kitchen. Eating his meager food before starting to clean up, when the post came and he went to get it when his Uncle told him to.

When he looked at the mails there was another letter for him, written on the same parchment and words as yesterday.

* * *

Mr. H. Potter

The Cupboard under the Stairs

4 Privet Drive

Little Whinging

Surrey

* * *

Wondering at what this one could be about. 'Maybe it is about how to mail my acceptance letter?'

He walked in back to the kitchen, still staring at his letter. He handed Uncle Vernon the other mail, sat down and slowly began to open the yellow envelope.

"Dad!" Dudley exclaimed suddenly. "Dad, The Freaks got something!"

Harry was on the point of unfolding his letter, which was also written on the same heavy parchment when it was jerked sharply out of his hand by Uncle Vernon.

Startled "That's mine!" said Harry, trying to get it back.

"Who'd be writing to you?" Uncle Vernon sneered, shaking the letter open with one hand and glancing at it. His face went from red to green faster than a set of traffic lights. And it didn't stop there as within seconds it was the grayish white of old porridge.

'He must know something about magic then' Harry thought.

"P-P-Petunia!" Uncle Vernon gasped.

Dudley tried to grab the letter to read it, but Uncle Vernon held it high out of his reach. Harry watch quiwtly as Aunt Petunia took it curiously and read the first line. For a moment it looked as though she might faint. She clutched her throat and made a choking noise.

"Vernon! Oh my goodness. Vernon!"

They stared at each other, seeming to have forgotten that Harry and Dudley were still in the room. As Dudley wasn't used to being ignored he gave his father a sharp tap on the head with his Smelting stick.

"I want to read that letter," He said loudly drawing both Uncle Vernon's and Aunt Petunia's attention to the fact that they were still in the room.

"Get out, both of you." Uncle Vernon croaked, stuffing the letter back inside its envelope.

Harry didn't move.

"I WANT THAT LETTER! LET ME SEE IT! Dudley shouted demandingly.

"OUT!" Roared Uncle Vernon and he took both Harry and Dudley by the scruffs of their necks and threw them into the hall, slamming the kitchen door behind them. Harry and Dudley promptly had a furious but silent fight over who would listen at the keyhole, Dudley won so Harry with his glasses dangling from one ear was flat on his stomach to listen at the crack between door and floor.

"Vernon." Aunt Petunia was saying in a quivering voice. "Look at the address. How could they possibly know where he sleeps? You don't think they're watching the house?"

"Watching. Spying. Mmight be following us!" Uncle Vernon muttered wildly.

"But what should we do, Vernon? Should we write back? Tell them we don't want-"

Harry could see Uncle Vernon's shiny black shoes pacing up and down the kitchen.

"No." He said finally. "No, we'll ignore it. If they don't get an answer. Yes, that's best. We won't do anything.

"But-"

"I'm not having one in the house Petunia! Didn't we swear when we took him in we'd stamp out that dangerous foolish nonsense?"

That evening when he got back from work Uncle Vernon did something he'd never done before, he visited Harry in his cupboard without punishing him.

"Can I have my letter now?" Harry asked the moment Uncle Vernon had opened the door enough to see him. "And who is it that is writing to me?"

"No one. it was addressed to you by mistake." Uncle Vernon said shortly. "I have already burned it."

"It wasn't a mistake." Harry stopped as he went to tell Vernon that he had already read one the day before, before diciding to say. "It had my cupboard on it though how could that be a mistake."

"SILENCE!" Uncle Vernon yelled, and a couple of spiders fell from the ceiling. He took a few deep breaths and then forced his face into a smile, which looked quite painful.

"Er, yes. Harry. About this cupboard. Your aunt and I have been talking. You're getting a bit big for it. We think it would be best if you moved into Dudley's second bedroom, it has been cleaned and it is yours. You'd best keep it clean and tidy, boy."

"Why?" Harry asked.

"Don't ask questions!" His uncle snapped. "Take this stuff upstairs, now."

The Dursley's house had four bedrooms: one for Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia, one for visitors (usually Uncle Vernon's sister, Marge), one where Dudley slept, and one where Dudley kept all the toys and things that wouldn't fit into his first bedroom. It only took Harry one trip upstairs to move everything he owned from the cupboard to this room. He sat down on the bed and stared around him. Nearly everything in here was broken. The month-old video camera was lying on top of a small, working tank Dudley had once driven over the next door neighbor's dog, in the corner was Dudley's first-ever television set, which he'd put his foot through when his favorite program had been canceled, there was a large birdcage which had once held a parrot that Dudley had swapped at school for a real air rifle, which was up on a shelf with the end all bent because Dudley had sat on it. Other shelves were full of books. They were the only things in the room that looked as though they'd never been touched.

From downstairs came the sound of Dudley bawling at his mother, "I don't want him in there... I need that room. make him get out!"

Harry sighed and starting sorting through the room on what to keep and throw out and what could maybe be fixed on the floor in organized piles. Most of the stuff in the room was garbage. But what he was going to maybe sell and get rid of as it was still good was the small tank, the birdcage, and other small things. He put the television set, real life air rifle along with many other things. Though he did find an alramclock that wasn't too damaged and set it aside to repair later along it other small things from notebooks, binders, pens, and a backpack and a bag some of them were never even used. Yesterday he'd have given anything to be up here. Today he'd rather be back in his cupboard with his second letter than up here without it.

* * *

The next morning at breakfast everyone was rather quiet. Dudley was in shock, he'd screamed, whacked his father with his Smelting stick, been sick on purpose, kicked his mother, and thrown his tortoise through the greenhouse roof, and he still didn't have his room back. Harry was thinking about this time yesterday and bitterly wishing he'd don the same thing as he had done with the first letter. Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia kept looking at each other darkly.

When the mail arrived, Uncle Vernon who seemed to be trying to be nice to Harry made Dudley go and get it. They heard him banging things with his Smelting stick all the way down the hall. Then he shouted. "There's another one! 'Mr. H. Potter, The Smallest Bedroom, 4 Privet Drive-"

With a strangled cry Uncle Vernon leapt from his seat and ran down the hall, Harry right behind him. Uncle Vernon had to wrestle Dudley to the ground to get the letter from him, which was made difficult by the fact that Harry had grabbed Uncle Vernon around the neck from behind. After a minute of confused fighting, in which everyone got hit a lot by the Smelting stick. Uncle Vernon straightened up, gasping for breath, with Harry's letter clutched in his hand.

"Go to your cupboard- I mean, your bedroom." he wheezed at Harry. "Dudley- Go- Just go."

Harry walked back and forth around his new room. Someone knew he had moved out of his cupboard and they seemed to know he hadn't received his second letter. Surely that meant they'd try again? And this time he'd make sure they didn't fail. He had a plan.

The repaired alarm clock rang at six o'clock the next morning. Harry turned it off quickly and dressed silently. He mustn't wake the Dursleys. He crept downstairs without turning on any of the lights.

He was going to wait for the postman on the corner of Privet Drive and get the letters for number four first. His heart hammered as he crept across the dark hall toward the front door-

Harry leapt into the air he'd trodden on something big and squashy on the doormat- Something alive!

Lights clicked on upstairs and to his horror Harry realized that the big squashy something had been his uncle's face. Uncle Vernon had been lying at the foot of the front door in a sleeping bag, clearly making sure that Harry didn't do exactly what he'd been trying to do. He shouted and beat Harry for about half an hour and then ordered him to go and make a cup of tea. Harry shuffled miserably off into the kitchen and by the time he got back the mail had arrived, right into Uncle Vernon's lap. Harry could see three letters addressed in green ink.

"I want-" he began, but Uncle Vernon was tearing the letters into pieces before his eyes. Uncle Vernon didnt go to work that day. He stayed at home and nailed up the mail slot.

"See." He explained to Aunt Petunia through a mouthful of nails. "If they can't deliver them they'll just give up."

"I'm not sure that'll work Vernon."

"Oh, these people's minds work in strange ways Petunia, they're not like you and me." said Uncle Vernon, trying to knock in a nail with the piece of fruitcake Aunt Petunia had just brought him.

On Friday, no less than twelve letters arrived for Harry. As they couldn't go through the mail slot they had been pushed under the door, slotted through the sides, and a few even forced through the small window in the downstairs bathroom.

Uncle Vernon stayed at home again. After burning all the letters, he got out a hammer and nails and boarded up the cracks around the front and back doors so no one could go out. He hummed "Tiptoe Through the Tulips" As he worked, and jumped at small noises.

On Saturday things began to get out of hand. Twenty-four letters to Harry found their way into the house, rolled up and hidden inside each of the two dozen eggs that their very confused milkman had handed Aunt Petunia through the living room window. While Uncle Vernon made furious telephone calls to the post office and the dairy trying to find someone to complain to, Aunt Petunia had shredded the letters in her food processor.

"Who on earth wants to talk to you this badly?" Dudley asked Harry in amazement.

On Sunday morning Uncle Vernon sat down at the breakfast table looking tired and rather ill, but happy.

"No post on Sundays." He reminded them cheerfully as he spread marmalade on his newspapers. "No damn letters today-"

Something came whizzing down the kitchen chimney as he spoke and caught him sharply on the back of the head. Next moment, thirty or forty letters came pelting out of the fireplace like bullets. The Dursleys ducked, but Harry tried catching one from the air.

"Out! OUT!" Uncle Vernon yelled.

He seized Harry around the waist and threw him into the hall. When Aunt Petunia and Dudley had run out with their arms over their faces, Uncle Vernon slammed the door shut. They could hear the letters still streaming into the room, bouncing off the walls and floor.

"That does it." Uncle Vernon said, trying to speak calmly but pulling great tufts out of his mustache at the same time. I want you all back here in five minutes ready to leave. We're going away. Just pack some clothes. No arguments!"He looked so dangerous with half his mustache missing that no one dared argue.

* * *

Ten minutes later they had wrenched their way through the boarded-up doors and were in the car, speeding toward the highway. Dudley was sniffling in the back seat. Hs father had hit him round the head for holding them up while he tried to pack his television, VCR, and computer in his sports bag.

They drove, and they drove. Even Aunt Petunia didn't dare ask where they were going. Every now and then Uncle Vernon would take a sharp turn and drive in the opposite direction for a while. "Shake'em off. Shake 'em off." He would mutter whenever he did this.

They didn't stop to eat or drink all day. By nightfall Dudley was howling. He'd never had such a bad day in his life. He was hungry, he'd missed five television programs he'd wanted to see, and he'd never gone so long without blowing up an alien on his computer.

Uncle Vernon stopped at last outside a gloomy-looking hotel on the outskirts of a big city. Dudley and Harry shared a room with twin beds and damp, musty sheets. Dudley snored but Harry stayed awake, sitting on the windowsill staring down at the lights of passing cars and wondering.

They ate stale cornflakes and cold tinned tomatoes on toast for breakfast the next day. They had just finished when the owner of the hotel came over to their table.

"Scuse me, but is one of you Mr. H. Potter? Only I got about an 'undred of these at the front desk."

She held up a letter so they could read the green ink address.

* * *

Mr. H. Potter

Room 17

Railview Hotel

Cokeworth

* * *

Harry made a grab for the letter but Uncle Vernon knocked his hand out of the way. The woman stared.

"I'll take them." He said, Uncle Vernon standing up quickly and following her from the dining room.

Wouldn't it be better just to go home, dear?" Aunt Petunia suggested timidly hours later, but Uncle Vernon didn't seem to hear her. Exactly what he was looking for, none of them knew. He drove them into the middle of a forest he got out looked around, shook his head and got back in the car and off they went again. The same thing happened in the middle of a plowed field, halfway across a suspension bridge and at the top of a multilevel parking garage.

"Daddy's gone mad, hasn't he?" Dudley asked Aunt Petunia dully late that afternoon. Uncle Vernon had parked at the coast, locked them all inside the car and disappeared.

It started to rain. Great drops beat on the roof of the car. Dudley sniveled.

"It's Tuesday." He whined to his mother. "The Great Humberto's on tonight. I want to stay somewhere with a television. "

Tuesday this reminded Harry of something. If it was Tuesday. And you could usually count on Dudley to know the days the week, because of television. Then tomorrow, Wednesday was Harry's eleventh birthday. Of course, his birthdays were never fun. Last year the Dursleys had given him all the chores to do, and Uncle Vernon gave him a beating until he was unconcious because he didn't finish the chores on time. Still, you weren't eleven every day.

Uncle Vernon was back and he was smiling. He was also carrying a long thin package, and didn't answer Aunt Petunia when she asked what he'd bought.

"Found the perfect place!" He said. "Come on! Everyone out!"

It was very cold outside the car. Uncle Vernon was pointing at what looked like a large rock way out at sea. Perched on top of the rock was the most miserable little shack you could imagine. One thing was certain, there was no television in there.

"Storm forecast for tonight!" Uncle Vernon gleefullyspoke, clapping his hands together. "And this gentleman's kindly agreed to lend us his boat!"

A toothless old man came ambling up to them pointing, with a rather wicked grin, at an old rowboat bobbing in the iron-gray water below them.

"I've already got us some rations," Uncle Vernon said. "So all aboard!"

It was freezing in the boat. Icy sea spray and rain crept down their necks and a chilly wind whipped their faces. After what seemed like hours they reached the rock, where Uncle Vernon slipping and sliding led the way to the broken-down shack.

The inside was horrible it smelled strongly of seaweed, the wind whistled through the gaps in the wooden walls and the fireplace was damp and empty. There were only two rooms.

Uncle Vernon's rations turned out to be a bag of crisps each and four bananas(Dudley of course ate all of Harry's crisps and most of his banana.) He tried to start a fire but the empty chip bags just smoked and shriveled up.

"Could do with some of those letters now, eh?" He said cheerfully.

He was in a very good mood. Obviously he thought nobody stood a chance of reaching them here in a storm to deliver mail. Harry privately agreed, though the thought didn't cheer him up at all.

As night fell, the promised storm blew up around them. Spray from the high waves splattered the walls of the hut and a fierce wind rattled the filthy windows. Aunt Petunia found a few moldy blankets in the second room and made up a bed for Dudley on the moth-eaten sofa. She and Uncle Vernon went off to the lumpy bed next door, and Harry was left to find the softest bit of floor he could and to curl up under the thinnest most ragged mouldy blanket.

The storm raged more and more ferociously as the night went on. Harry couldn't sleep. He shivered and turned over, trying to get comfortable his stomach rumbling with hunger. Dudley's snores were drowned by the low rolls of thunder that started near midnight. The lighted dial of Dudley's watch, which was dangling over the edge of the sofa on his fat wrist, told Harry he'd be eleven in ten minutes' time. He lay and watched his birthday tick nearer wondering if the Dursleys would remember at all, wondering where the letter writer was now and if he could write back that he wanted to attend the school.

Five minutes to go. Harry heard something creak outside. He hoped the roof wasn't going to fall in, although he might be warmer if it did. Four minutes to go. Maybe the house in Privet Drive would be so full of letters when they got back that he'd be able to nick one somehow.

Three minutes to go. Was that the sea, slapping hard on the rock like that? And (two minutes to go) what was that funny crunching noise? Was the rock crumbling into the sea?

One minute to go and he'd be eleven. Thirty seconds. Twenty. Ten. Nine. Maybe he'd wake Dudley up, just to annoy him. Three. Two. One.

BOOM.

The whole shack shuddered and Harry sat bolt upright, staring at the door. Someone was outside, knocking to come in.

* * *

THE KEEPER OF THE KEYS

* * *

BOOM. They knocked again. Dudley jerked awake. "Where's the cannon?" he said stupidly.

There was a crash behind them and Uncle Vernon came skidding into the room. He was holding a rifle in his hands. Now they all know what had been in the long thin package he had brought with them.

"Who's there?" He shouted. "I warn you. I'm armed!"

There was a pause. Then-

SMASH!

The door was hit with such force that it swung clean off its hinges and with a deafening crash landed flat on the floor.

A giant of a man was standing in the doorway. His face was almost completely hidden by a long, shaggy mane of hair and a wild tangled beard, but you could make out his eyes glinting like black beetles under all the hair.

The giant squeezed his way into the hut, stooping so that his head just brushed the ceiling. He bent down picked up the door, and fitted it easily back into its frame. The noise of the storm outside dropped a little. He turned to look at them all.

"Couldn't make us a cup o' tea, could yeh? It's not been an easy journey."

He strode over to the sofa where Dudley sat frozen with fear.

"Budge up, yeh great lump." The stranger said.

Dudley squeaked and ran to hide behind his mother, who was crouching, terrified behind Uncle Vernon.

"An' here's Harry!" The giant said happily.

Harry looked up into the fierce, wild shadowy face and saw that the beetle eyes were crinkled in a smile.

"Las' time I saw you, you was only a baby." The giant continued. "Yeh look a lot like yet dad, but yeh've got yet mom's eyes."

Uncle Vernon made a funny rasping noise.

"I demand that you leave at once, sir!" He said. "You are breaking and entering!"

"Ah shut up, Dursley yeh great prune." said the giant. He reached over the back of the sofa jerked the gun out of Uncle Vernon's hands, bent it into a knot as easily as if it had been made of rubber and threw it into a corner of the room.

Uncle Vernon made another funny noise, like a mouse being trodden on.

"Anyway Harry." The giant turning his back on the Dursleys. "A very happy birthday to yeh. Got summat fer yeh here. I mighta sat on it at some point, but it'll taste all right."

From an inside pocket of his black overcoat he pulled a slightly squashed box. Harry opened it with trembling fingers. Inside was a large, sticky chocolate cake with Happy Birthday Harry written on it in green icing.

Harry looked up at the giant. "T-t-thank y-you!" He stuttered out. "If I may, but exactly who are you?"

The giant chuckled.

"True, I haven't introduced meself. Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts."

He held out an enormous hand and shook Harry's whole arm.

"What about that tea then, eh?" Hagrid said rubbing his hands together. "I'd not say no ter summat stronger if yeh've got it, mind."

* * *

His eyes fell on the empty grate with the shriveled crisp bags in it and he snorted. He bent down over the fireplace, they couldn't see what he was doing but when he drew back a second later a roaring fire was there. It filled the whole damp hut with flickering light and Harry felt the warmth wash over him as though he'd sunk into a hot bath.

The giant sat back down on the sofa which sagged under his weight, and began taking all sorts of things out of the pockets of his coat a copper kettle, a squashy package of sausages, a poker, a teapot, several chipped mugs, and a bottle of some amber liquid that he took a swig from before starting to make tea. Soon the hut was full of the sound and smell of sizzling sausages. Nobody said a thing while the giant was working but as he slid the first six fat juicy slightly burnt sausages from the poker, Dudley fidgeted a little. Uncle Vernon said sharply. "Don't touch anything he gives you, Dudley."

The giant chuckled darkly.

"Yer great puddin' of a son don' need fattenin' anymore, Dursley. Don' worry."

He passed the sausages to Harry who was so hungry he had never tasted anything so wonderful, but he still couldn't take his eyes off the giant. Finally, as nobody seemed about to explain anything, he spoke. "I'm sorry, but I still don't really undertand, sir."

The giant took a gulp of tea and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

"Call me Hagrid" He started. "Everyone does. An' like I told yeh, I'm Keeper of Keys at Hogwarts. Yeh'll know all about Hogwarts, o' course.

"Er. -No." Harry said looking down embarressed.

Hagrid looked shocked.

"Sorry." Harry said quickly.

"Sorry?" Hagrid barked turning to stare at the Dursleys, who shrank back into the shadows. "It's them tha' should be sorry! I knew yeh weren't gettin' yer letters but I never thought yeh wouldn't even know abou' Hogwarts, fer cryin' out loud! Did yeh never wonder where yet parents learned it all?"

"All what?" Asked Harry.

"ALL WHAT?" Hagrid thundered. "Now wait jus' one second!"

He had leapt to his feet in his anger, he seemed to fill the whole hut. The Dursleys were now cowering against the wall.

"Do you mean ter tell me." He growled at the Dursleys. "That this boy. This boy! -Knows nothin' abou'. About **ANYTHING**?"

Harry thought this was going a bit far. He had been to school after all and his marks weren't bad. Lower than Dudley's were sure, but that was because if he outshined Dudley in school he would get a beating so he held back and purposely messed up.

"I know some things" He said. "I can do math, read and write along with other things." But Hagrid simply waved his hand and said. "About our world, I mean. Your world. My world. Yer parents' world."

"What world?" He already knew but be didn't want the Dursley's to know that.

Hagrid looked as if he was about to explode.

"DURSLEY!" He boomed.

Uncle Vernon who had gone very pale, whispered something that sounded like. "Mimblewimble." Hagrid stared wildly at Harry.

"But yeh must know about yet mum and dad?" He asked sofly. "I mean, they're famous. You're famous!"

"What? My. -My mum and dad weren't famous, were they?"

"Yeh don' know. Yeh really don' know!" Hagrid ran his fingers through his hair, fixing Harry with a bewildered stare.

"Yeh don' know what yeh are?" He said finally.

Uncle Vernon suddenly found his voice.

"Stop!" He commanded. "Stop right there, sir! I forbid you to tell the boy anything!"

A braver man than Vernon Dursley would have quailed under the furious look Hagrid now gave him, when Hagrid spoke his every syllable trembled with rage.

"You never told him? Never told him what was in the letter Dumbledore left fer him? I was there! I saw Dumbledore leave it, Dursley! An' you've kept it from him all these years?"

"Kept what from me?" Said Harry eagerly.

"STOP! I FORBID YOU!" Uncle Vernon yelled in panic.

Aunt Petunia gave a gasp of horror.

"Ah, go boil yet heads both of yeh." Hagrid said. "Harry. Yer a wizard."

There was silence inside the hut. Only the sea and the whistling wind could be heard.

"- A what?" gasped Harry continuing to play obliviousness.

"A wizard, o' course." Said Hagrid sitting back down on the sofa, which groaned and sank even lower. "An' a thumpin' good'un I'd say, once yeh've been trained up a bit. With a mum an' dad like yours, what else would yeh be? An' I reckon it's abou' time yeh read yer letter."

Harry stretched out his hand at last to take the yellowish envelope, addressed in emerald green to Mr. H. Potter, The Floor, Hut-on-the-Rock, The Sea. He pulled out the letter and read.

* * *

HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

Headmaster: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)

Dear Mr. Potter,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and euipment.

Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31. Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall,

Deputy Headmistress

* * *

Questions exploded inside Harry's head like fireworks and he couldn't decide which to ask first, it was exactly what the first letter had said. After a few minutes he stammered out. "What does it mean, they await my owl?"

"Gallopin' Gorgons! That reminds me." Said Hagrid, clapping a hand to his forehead with enough force to knock over a cart horse. And from yet another pocket inside his overcoat he pulled an owl. A a real live rather ruffled-looking owl. A long quill, and a roll of parchment. With his tongue between his teeth he scribbled a note that Harry could read upside down.

* * *

Dear Professor Dumbledore, given Harry his letter.

Taking him to buy his things tomorrow.

Weather's horrible. Hope you're well.

Hagrid

* * *

Hagrid rolled up the note gave it to the owl which clamped it in its beak, went to the door and threw the owl out into the storm. Then he came back and sat down as though this was as normal as talking on the telephone.

Harry realized his mouth was open and closed it quickly.

"Where was I?" Hagrid asked. But at that moment Uncle Vernon still ashen-faced but looking very angry, moved into the firelight.

"He's not going," He said.

Hagrid grunted.

"I'd like ter see a great Muggle like you stop him," He replied.

"A what?" Harry asked interested.

"A Muggle." Hagrid explained. "It's what we call nonmagical folk like thern. An' it's your bad luck you grew up in a family o' the biggest Muggles I ever laid eyes on."

"We swore when we took him in we'd put a stop to that rubbish." Said Uncle Vernon, proving that Harry's suspicions were right he did know something about magic. "Swore we'd stamp it out of him! Wizard indeed!"

"You knew?" Harry asked to see what their answer would be. "You knew I'm a.- A wizard?"

"Knew!" Aunt Petunia suddenly shrieked. "Knew! Of course we knew! How could you not be, my dratted sister being what she was? Oh, she got a letter just like that and disappeared off to that-that school. And came home every vacation with her pockets full of frog spawn, turning teacups into rats. I was the only one who saw her for what she was. A freak! But for my mother and father oh no, it was Lily this and Lily that they were proud of having a witch in the family!"

She stopped to draw a deep breath and then went ranting on. It seemed she had been wanting to say all this for years.

"Then she met that Potter at school they left and got married had you, and of course I knew you'd be just the same just as strange, just as. -As. -Abnormal. -And then, if you please she went and got herself blown up and we got landed with you!"

Harry had gone very whiteat hearing that. As soon as he found his voice he said. "Blown up? You told me they died in a car crash!"

"CAR CRASH!" roared Hagrid, jumping up so angrily that the Dursleys scuttled back to their corner. "How could a car crash kill Lily an' James Potter? It's an outrage! A scandal! Harry Potter not knowin' his own story when every kid in our world knows his name!" "But why? What happened?" Harry asked urgently.

The anger faded from Hagrid's face. He looked suddenly anxious.

"I never expected this," he said, in a low, worried voice. "I had no idea, when Dumbledore told me there might be trouble gettin' hold of yeh, how much yeh didn't know. Ah, Harry, I don' know if I'm the right person ter tell yeh - but someone 3 s gotta - yeh can't go off ter Hogwarts not knowin'."

He threw a dirty look at the Dursleys.

"Well, it's best yeh know as much as I can tell yeh - mind, I can't tell yeh everythin', it's a great myst'ry, parts of it..."

He sat down, stared into the fire for a few seconds, and then said, "It begins, I suppose, with - with a person called - but it's incredible yeh don't know his name, everyone in our world knows -"

"Who? "

"Well - I don' like sayin' the name if I can help it. No one does."

"Why not?"

"Gulpin' gargoyles, Harry people are still scared. Blimey, this is difficult. See, there was this wizard who went. Bad. As bad as you could go. Worse. Worse than worse. His name was."

Hagrid gulped, but no words came out.

"May you could write it down?" Harry suggested.

"Nah. Can't spell it. All right. -Voldemort. " Hagrid shuddered. "Don' make me say it again. Anyway, this-. This wizard, about twenty years ago now started lookin' fer followers. Got 'em, too-. Some were afraid some just wanted a bit o' his power, 'cause he was gettin' himself power all right. Dark days, Harry. Didn't know who ter trust, didn't dare get friendly with strange wizards or witches. Terrible things happened. He was takin' over. 'Course, some stood up to him-. An' he killed 'em. Horribly. One o' the only safe places left was Hogwarts. Reckon Dumbledore's the only one You-Know-Who was afraid of. Didn't dare try takin' the school, not jus' then anyway.

"Now, yer mum an' dad were as good a witch an' wizard as I ever knew. Head boy an' girl at Hogwarts in their day! Suppose the myst'ry is why You-Know-Who never tried to get 'em on his side before. Probably knew they were too close ter Dumbledore ter want anythin' ter do with the Dark Side.

"Maybe he thought he could persuade 'em. Maybe he just wanted 'em outta the way. All anyone knows is, he turned up in the village where you was all living on Halloween ten years ago. You was just a year old. He came ter yer house an'-. An'-.

Hagrid suddenly pulled out a very dirty spotted handkerchief and blew his nose with a sound like a foghorn.

"Sorry." He said. "But it's that sad-. knew yer mum an' dad, an' nicer people yeh couldn't find-. Anyway."

"You-Know-Who killed 'em. An' then-. An' this is the real myst'ry of the thing-. He tried to kill you too. Wanted ter make a clean job of it I suppose, or maybe he just liked killin' by then. But he couldn't do it. Never wondered how you got that mark on yer forehead? That was no ordinary cut. That's what yeh get when a Powerful, evil curse touches yeh-. Took care of yer mum an' dad an' yer house even-. But it didn't work on you an', that's why yer famous Harry. No one ever lived after he decided ter kill 'em no one except you, an' he'd killed some o' the best witches an' wizards of the age-. The McKinnons, the Bones, the Prewetts-. An' you was only a baby, an' you lived."

Something very painful was going on in Harry's mind. As Hagrid's story came to a close, he saw and heard the blinding flash of green lights and the scream again, more clearly than he had ever remembered it before. And he remembered something else, for the first time in his life a high cold cruel laugh.

Hagrid was watching him sadly.

"Took yeh from the ruined house myself, on Dumbledore's orders. Brought yeh ter this lot."

"Load of old tosh." Uncle Vernon spoke. Harry jumped, he had almost forgotten that the Dursleys were there. Uncle Vernon certainly seemed to have got back his courage. He was glaring at Hagrid and his fists were clenched with his face turning purple.

"Now, you listen here boy." He snarled. "I accept there's something strange about you, probably nothing a good beating wouldn't have cured. And as for all this about your parents. Well they were weirdos, no denying it and the world's better off without them in my opinion. Asked for all they got, getting mixed up with these wizarding types. Just what I expected, always knew they'd come to a sticky end-"

But at that moment, Hagrid leapt from the sofa and drew a battered pink umbrella from inside his coat. Pointing this at Uncle Vernon like a sword, he said, "I'm warning you, Dursley- I'm warning you. One more word."

In danger of being speared on the end of an umbrella by a bearded giant, Uncle Vernon's courage failed again. He flattened himself against the wall and fell silent.

"That's better." Hagrid said breathing heavily and sitting back down on the sofa, which this time sagged right down to the floor.

Harry meanwhile still had questions to ask, hundreds of them.

"But what happened to Vol- Sorry. I mean You-Know-Who?"

"Good question, Harry. Disappeared. Vanished. Same night he tried ter kill you. Makes yeh even more famous. That's the biggest myst'ry, see. He was gettin' more an' more powerful- Why'd he go?"

"Some say he died. Codswallop, in my opinion. Dunno if he had enough human left in him to die. Some say he's still out there bidin' his time likely, but I don' believe it. People who was on his side came back ter ours. Some of 'em came outta kinda trances. Don' reckon they could've done if he was comin' back."

"Most of us reckon he's still out there somewhere but lost his powers. Too weak to carry on. 'Cause somethin' about you finished him, Harry. There was somethin' goin' on that night he hadn't counted on- I dunno what it was, no one does- But somethin' about you stumped him, all right."

* * *

Hagrid looked at Harry with warmth and respect blazing in his eyes, but Harry instead of feeling pleased and proud felt quite sure there had been a horrible mistake. A wizard? Him? How could he possibly be? Sure he made his hair grow and all the other things he's done, but listening to Hagrid talk. If he'd once defeated the greatest sorcerer in the world, how come Vernon and Dudley had always been able to kick him around like a football shouldn't he have been able to stop it?

"Hagrid." He said quietly. "I think you must have made a mistake. I don't think I can be a wizard."

To his surprise, Hagrid chuckled.

"Not a wizard, eh? Never made things happen when you was scared or angry?"

Harry looked into the fire. Every odd thing that had ever made his aunt and uncle furious with him had happened when he, Harry, had been upset or angry. Chased by Dudley's gang, he had somehow found himself out of their reach. Dreading going to school with that ridiculous haircut, he'd managed to make it grow back. And the very last time Dudley had hit him, hadn't he got his revenge, without even realizing he was doing it? Hadn't he set a boa constrictor on him? And the last going to the library, finding the warmth that made his hair long and short.

Harry looked back at Hagrid, smiling, and saw that Hagrid was positively beaming at him.

"See?" Hagrid chuckled. "Harry Potter, not a wizard. You wait, you'll be right famous at Hogwarts."

But Uncle Vernon wasn't going to give in without a fight.

"Haven't I told you he's not going?" He hissed. "He's going to Stonewall High and he'll be grateful for it. I've read those letters and he needs all sorts of rubbish. Spell books and wands and-"

"If he wants ter go, a great Muggle like you won't stop him." Hagrid growled. "Stop Lily an' James Potter's son goin' ter Hogwarts! Yer mad. His name's been down ever since he was born. He's off ter the finest school of witchcraft and wizardry in the world. Seven years there and he won't know himself. He'll be with youngsters of his own sort, fer a change. An' he'll be under the greatest headmaster Hogwarts ever had Albus Dumbled-"

"I AM NOT PAYING FOR SOME CRACKPOT OLD FOOL TO TEACH HIM MAGIC TRICKS!" Uncle Vernon shouted.

But he had finally gone too far. Hagrid seized his umbrella and whirled it over his head. "NEVER." He thundered."INSULT. ALBUS. DUMBLEDORE. IN. FRONT. OF. ME!"

He brought the umbrella swishing down through the air to point at Dudley. There was a flash of violet light, a sound like a firecracker, a sharp squeal and the next second, Dudley was dancing on the spot with his hands clasped over his fat bottom howling in pain. When he turned his back on them, Harry saw a curly pig's tail poking through a hole in his trousers.

Uncle Vernon roared. Pulling Aunt Petunia and Dudley into the other room, he cast one last terrified look at Hagrid and slammed the door behind them. Harry knew that he would pay for that dearly when Hagrid was no longer there.

Hagrid looked down at his umbrella and stroked his beard.

"Shouldn'ta lost me temper." He said ruefully. "But it didn't work anyway. Meant ter turn him into a pig, but I suppose he was so much like a pig anyway there wasn't much left ter do."

He cast a sideways look at Harry under his bushy eyebrows.

"Be grateful if yeh didn't mention that ter anyone at Hogwarts." He said. "I'm- Er. Not supposed ter do magic, strictly speakin'. I was allowed ter do a bit ter follow yeh an' get yer letters to yeh an' stuff. One o' the reasons I was so keen ter take on the job." At that attmitance Harry felt like he had just swallowed a large lump that was caught in his throat.

"Why aren't you supposed to do magic?" Harry asked trying to speak normally around the lump in his throat.

"Oh, well- I was at Hogwarts meself but I. Er. Got expelled, ter tell yeh the truth. In me third year. They snapped me wand in half an' everything. But Dumbledore let me stay on as gamekeeper. Great man, Dumbledore."

"Why were you expelled?"

"It's gettin' late and we've got lots ter do tomorrow." Said Hagrid loudly ending the conversation. "Gotta get up ter town, get all yer books an' that."

He took off his thick black coat and threw it to Harry.

"You can kip under that." He said. "Don' mind if it wriggles a bit, I think I still got a couple o' dormice in one o' the pockets."

* * *

DIAGON ALLEY

* * *

Harry woke early the next morning. Although he could tell it was daylight, he kept his eyes shut tight.

"It was a dream." He told himself firmly. "I dreamed a giant called Hagrid came to tell me I was going to a school for wizards and that I never recieved my second letter. When I open my eyes I'll be back at the Dursley's home in Dudley's second bedrrom."

There was suddenly a loud tapping noise.

'And there's Aunt Petunia knocking on the door.' Harry thought his heart sinking. But he still didn't open his eyes. It had been such a good dream.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

"All right." Harry mumbled. "I'm getting up."

He sat up and Hagrid's heavy coat fell off him. The hut was full of sunlight, the storm was over. Hagrid himself was asleep on the collapsed sofa, and there was an owl rapping its claw on the window a newspaper held in its beak.

Harry scrambled to his feet, so happy he felt as though there were butterflies were fluttering inside his stomache. He went straight to the window and jerked it open. The owl swooped in and dropped the newspaper on top of Hagrid, who didn't wake up. The owl then fluttered onto the floor and began to attack Hagrid's coat.

"Don't do that." Harry tried to wave the owl out of the way, but it snapped its beak fiercely at him and carried on savaging the coat.

"Hagrid!" Harry called out to him. "There's an owl."

"Pay him." Hagrid grunted into the sofa.

"What?"

"He wants payin' fer deliverin' the paper. Look in the pockets." Hagrid's coat seemed to be made of nothing but pockets. Bunches of keys, slug pellets, balls of string, peppermint humbugs, teabags. Finally, Harry pulled out a handful of strange looking coins.

"Give him five Knuts." said Hagrid sleepily.

"Knuts?"

"The little bronze ones."

Harry counted out five little bronze coins, and the owl held out his leg so Harry could put the money into a small leather pouch tied to it. Then he flew off through the open window.

Hagrid yawned loudly, sat up and stretched.

"Best be off Harry, lots ter do today. Gotta get up ter London an' buy all yer stuff fer school."

Harry was turning over the wizard coins and looking at them. He had just thought of something that made him feel as though the butterflies inside him had died.

"Um. Hagrid?"

"Mm?" Said Hagrid, who was pulling on his huge boots.

"I haven't got any money. And you heard Uncle Vernon last night. He won't pay for me to go and learn magic."

"Don't worry about that." Hagrid standing up and scratching his head. "D'yeh think yer parents didn't leave yeh anything?"

"But if their house was destroyed-"

"They didn' keep their gold in the house, boy! Nah, first stop fer us is Gringotts. Wizards' bank. Have a sausage, they're not bad cold- An' I wouldn' say no teh a bit o' yer birthday cake, neither."

"Wizards have banks?"

"Just the one. Gringotts. Run by goblins."

Harry dropped the bit of sausage he was holding.

"Goblins?"

"Yeah. So yeh'd be mad ter try an' rob it, I'll tell yeh that. Never mess with goblins, Harry. Gringotts is the safest place in the world fer anything yeh want ter keep safe, 'cept maybe Hogwarts. As a matter o' fact, I gotta visit Gringotts anyway. Fer Dumbledore. Hogwarts business." Hagrid drew himself up proudly. "He usually gets me ter do important stuff fer him. Fetchin' you gettin' things from Gringotts, knows he can trust me see.

"Got everythin'? Come on, then."

Harry followed Hagrid out onto the rock. The sky was quite clear now and the sea gleamed in the sunlight. The boat Uncle Vernon had hired was still there, with a lot of water in the bottom after the storm.

"How did you get here?" Harry asked, looking around for another boat. "Flew," said Hagrid.

"Flew?"

"Yeah, but we'll go back in this. Not s'pposed ter use magic now I've got yeh."

They settled down in the boat, Harry still staring at Hagrid trying to imagine him flying.

"Seems a shame ter row though." Hagrid giving Harry another of his sideways looks. "If I was ter. Er. Speed things up a bit, would yeh mind not mentionin' it at Hogwarts?"

"Of course not." Harry, eager to see more magic. Hagrid pulled out the pink umbrella again tapped it twice on the side of the boat and they sped off toward land.

"Why would you be mad to try and rob Gringotts?" Harry asked.

"Spells. Enchantments." Hagrid unfolding his newspaper as he spoke. "They say there's dragons guardin' the highsecurity vaults. And then yeh gotta find yer way. Gringotts is hundreds of miles under London, see. Deep under the Underground. Yeh'd die of hunger tryin' ter get out, even if yeh did manage ter get yer hands on summat."

Harry sat and thought about this while Hagrid read his newspaper, the Daily Prophet. Harry had learned from Uncle Vernon that people liked to be left alone while they did this, but it was very difficult he'd never had so many questions in his life.

"Ministry o' Magic messin' things up as usual." Hagrid muttered, turning the page.

"There's a Ministry of Magic?" Harry spoke before he could stop himself.

"'Course." Hagrid said. "They wanted Dumbledore fer Minister. 0 ' course but he'd never leave Hogwarts, so old Cornelius Fudge got the job. Bungler if ever there was one. So he pelts Dumbledore with owls every morning, askin' fer advice."

"But what does a Ministry of Magic do?"

"Well, their main job is to keep it from the Muggles that there's still witches an' wizards up an' down the country."

"Why?"

"Why? Blimey Harry, everyone'd be wantin' magic solutions to their problems. Nah, we're best left alone."

At this moment the boat bumped gently into the harbor wall. Hagrid folded up his newspaper and they clambered up the stone steps onto the street, the boat rowing itself back to the little rock island.

Passersby stared a lot at Hagrid as they walked through the little town to the station. Harry couldn't blame them. Not only was Hagrid twice as tall as anyone else, he kept pointing at perfectly ordinary things like parking meters and saying loudly. "See that, Harry? Things these Muggles dream up, eh?"

"Hagrid," Harry panting a bit as he jogged to keep up. "Did you say there are dragons at Gringotts?"

"Well, so they say." Hagrid said wistfully. "Crikey, I'd like a dragon."

"You'd like one?"

"Wanted one ever since I was a kid. Ah, here we go."

They had reached the station. Luckily there was a train to London in five minutes' time. Hagrid, who didn't understand. "Muggle money." As he called it, gave the bills to Harry so he could buy their tickets.

People stared more than ever on the train. Hagrid took up two seats and sat knitting what looked like a canary-yellow circus tent.

"Still got yer letter Harry?" He asked as he counted stitches. Harry took the parchment envelope out of his pocket.

"Good.," Said Hagrid. "There's a list there of everything yeh need."

Harry unfolded a second piece of paper he hadn't noticed the night before, and read.

* * *

HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

UNIFORM

First-year students will require:

1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)

2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear

3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)

4. One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)

Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags

COURSE BOOKS

All students should have a copy of each of the following:

The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk

A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot

Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling

A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration by Emetic Switch

One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore

Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander

The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble

OTHER EQUIPMENT

wand cauldron (pewter, standard size 2) set

glass or crystal phials

telescope set

brass scales

Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad

PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS

* * *

"Can we buy all this in London?" Harry wondered aloud.

"If yeh know where to go." Said Hagrid.

Harry had never really been to London before. Although Hagrid seemed to know where he was going, he was obviously not used to getting there in an ordinary way. He got stuck in the ticket barrier on the Underground, and complained loudly that the seats were too small and the trains too slow.

"I don't know how the Muggles manage without magic." He said puzzled as they climbed a broken-down escalator that led up to a bustling road lined with shops.

Hagrid was so huge that he parted the crowd easily, all Harry had to do was keep close behind him. They passed book shops and music stores, hamburger restaurants and cinemas but nowhere that looked as if it could sell you a magic wand. This was just an ordinary street full of ordinary people. Could there really be piles of wizard gold buried miles beneath them? Were there really shops that sold spell books and broomsticks? Might this really be some huge joke that the Dursleys had cooked up? If Harry hadn't known that the Dursleys had no sense of humor and with how they acted last night, he might have thought so. And yet somehow even though everything Hagrid had told him so far was unbelievable, Harry couldn't help trusting him.

"This is it." Hagrid coming to a halt. "The Leaky Cauldron. It's a famous place."

It was a tiny, grubby-looking pub. If Hagrid hadn't said something , Harry would have thought that it was just another pub. The people hurrying by didn't glance at it, which was strage. Their eyes slid from the big book shop on one side to the record shop on the other as if they couldn't see the Leaky Cauldron at all. In fact, Harry had the most peculiar feeling that only he and Hagrid could see it. Before he could mention this, Hagrid had steered him inside.

For a famous place, it was very dark and shabby. A few old women were sitting in a corner, drinking tiny glasses of sherry. One of them was smoking a long pipe. A little man in a top hat was talking to the old bartender, who was quite bald and looked like a toothless walnut. The low buzz of chatter stopped when they walked in. Everyone seemed to know Hagrid they waved and smiled at him, and the bartender reached for a glass saying. "The usual, Hagrid?"

"Can't, Tom, I'm on Hogwarts business." Hagrid clapping his great hand on Harry's shoulder and making Harry's knees buckle.

"Good Lord." Said the bartender, peering at Harry. "Is this- Can this be?"

The Leaky Cauldron had suddenly gone completely still and silent.

"Bless my soul, it is." Whispered the old bartender. "Harry Potter. What an honor."

He hurried out from behind the bar rushed toward Harry and seized his hand, tears in his eyes.

"Welcome back, Mr. Potter. Welcome back."

Harry was overwhelmed, he didn't know what to say. Everyone was looking at him. The old woman with the pipe was puffing on it without realizing it had gone out. Hagrid was beaming.

Then there was a great scraping of chairs and the next moment, Harry found himself shaking hands with everyone in the Leaky Cauldron.

"Doris Crockford, Mr. Potter can't believe I'm meeting you at last."

"So proud, Mr. Potter. I'm just so proud."

"Always wanted to shake your hand. I'm all of a flutter."

"Delighted Mr. Potter, just can't tell you. Diggle's the name, Dedalus Diggle."

"I've seen you before!" Harry remembered, as Dedalus Diggle's top hat fell off in his excitement. "You bowed to me once in a shop."

"He remembers!" Dedalus Diggle cried, looking around at everyone. "Did you hear that? He remembers me!" Harry shook hands again and again. Doris Crockford kept coming back for more.

A pale young man made his way forward, very nervously. One of his eyes was twitching.

"Professor Quirrell!" Said Hagrid. "Harry, Professor Quirrell will be one of your teachers at Hogwarts."

"P-P-Potter." Stammered Professor Quirrell grasping Harry's hand and letting go immediately. "C-can't t-tell you how p- pleased I am to meet you."

"What sort of magic do you teach, Professor Quirrell?"

"D-Defense Against the D-D-Dark Arts." Muttered Professor Quirrell as though he'd rather not think about it. "N-not that you n-need it. Eh, P-P-Potter?" He laughed nervously. "You'll be g-getting all your equipment, I suppose? I've g-got to p-pick up a new b-book on vampires, m-myself." He looked terrified at the very thought.

But the others wouldn't let Professor Quirrell keep Harry to himself. It took almost ten minutes to get away from them all. At last, Hagrid managed to make himself heard over the babble.

"Must get on. Lots ter buy. Come on, Harry."

Doris Crockford shook Harry's hand one last time, and Hagrid led them through the bar and out into a small walled courtyard. Where there was nothing but a trash can and a few weeds.

Hagrid grinned at Harry, who was not feeling to well as he had a headache and was very overwhelmed.

"Told yeh, didn't I? Told yeh you was famous. Even Professor Quirrell was tremblin' ter meet yeh. Mind you, he's usually tremblin'."

"Is he always that nervous?"

"Oh yeah. Poor bloke. Brilliant mind. He was fine while he was studyin' outta books but then he took a year off ter get some firsthand experience. They say he met vampires in the Black Forest, and there was a nasty bit o' trouble with a hag. Never been the same since. Scared of the students, scared of his own subject now. Where's me umbrella?"

'Vampires? Hags?' Harry's head was swimming. Hagrid meanwhile, was counting bricks in the wall above the trash can.

"Three up. Two across he muttered. "Right, stand back and watch Harry."

He tapped the wall three times with the point of his umbrella.

The last brick he had touched quivered. It wriggled. In the middle, a small hole appeared. It grew wider and wider. A second later they were facing an archway large enough even for Hagrid, an archway onto a cobbled street that twisted and turned out of sight.

* * *

"Welcome." Hagrid turned to Harry. "To Diagon Alley."

He grinned at Harry's amazement. They stepped through the archway. Harry looked quickly over his shoulder and saw the archway shrink instantly back into solid wall. He was too distracted looking around to ask about anything.

The sun shone brightly on a stack of cauldrons outside the nearest shop. Cauldrons. All Sizes. Copper. Brass. Pewter. Silver. Self-Stirring. Collapsible. The sign read hanging over them.

"Yeah, you'll be needin' one." Hagrid told him. "But we gotta get yer money first."

Harry wished he had was able to split himself into eight more people so he could see everything there was. He turned his head in every direction as they walked up the street, trying to look at everything at once the shops, the things outside them, the people doing their shopping. A plump woman outside an Apothecary was shaking her head as they passed mumbling to herself. "Dragon liver, seventeen Sickles an ounce, they're mad."

A low soft hooting came from a dark shop with a sign saying Eeylops Owl Emporium. Tawny, Screech, Barn, Brown, and Snowy. Several boys around Harry's age had their noses pressed against a window with broomsticks in it. "Look." Harry heard one of them say to the others. "The new Nimbus Two Thousand. Fastest ever." There were shops selling robes, shops selling telescopes and strange silver instruments Harry had never seen before. Windows stacked with barrels of bat spleens and eels' eyes, tottering piles of spell books, quills, and rolls of parchment, potion bottles, globes of the moon.

"Gringotts." Hagrid said.

They had reached a snowy white lopsided building, that towered over the other little shops. Standing beside its burnished bronze doors, wearing a uniform of scarlet and gold was.

"Yeah, that's a goblin." Hagrid spoke quietly as they walked up the white stone steps toward him. The goblin was about four and a bit feet tall not much shorter than Harry, who came to four feet and four and a half inches. The goblin had a swarthy clever face a pointed beard, and Harry noticed very long fingers and feet. He gave a small head bow as they walked inside. Now they were facing a second pair of doors silver this time, with words engraved upon them.

* * *

Enter stranger, but take heed

Of what awaits the sin of greed,

For those who take, but do not earn,

Must pay most dearly in their turn.

So if you seek beneath our floors

A treasure that was never yours,

Thief, you have been warned, beware

Of finding more than treasure there.

* * *

"Like I said, Yeh'd be mad ter try an' rob it." Hagrid told him again.

A pair of goblins gave another small head bow to them through the silver doors and they were in a vast marble hall. About a hundred more goblins were sitting on high stools behind a long counter, scribbling in large ledgers, weighing coins in brass scales, examining precious stones through eyeglasses. There were too many doors to count leading off the hall, and yet more goblins were showing people in and out of these. Hagrid and Harry made for the counter.

"Morning." Hagrid spoke to a free goblin. "We've come ter take some money outta Mr. Harry Potter's safe."

"You have his key, Sir?"

"Got it here somewhere" Hagrid told the goblin and he started emptying his pockets onto the counter, scattering a handful of moldy dog biscuits over the goblin's book of numbers. The goblin wrinkled his nose. Harry watched the goblin on their right weighing a pile of rubies as big as glowing coals.

"Got it." Hagrid at last, holding up a tiny golden key.

The goblin looked at it closely.

"That seems to be in order."

"An' I've also got a letter here from Professor Dumbledore." Hagrid said importantly throwing out his chest. "It's about the You-know-What in vault seven hundred and thirteen."

The goblin read the letter carefully.

"Very well." He said handing it back to Hagrid. "I will have Someone take you down to both vaults. Griphook!"

Griphook was yet another goblin. Once Hagrid had crammed all the dog biscuits back inside his pockets, he and Harry followed Griphook toward one of the doors leading off the hall.

"What's the You-Know-What in vault seven hundred and thirteen?" Harry curiously asked.

"Can't tell yeh that." Hagrid said mysteriously. "Very secret. Hogwarts business. Dumbledore's trusted me. More'n my job's worth ter tell yeh that."

Griphook held the door open for them. Harry, who had expected more marble was surprised. They were in a narrow stone passageway lit with flaming torches. It sloped steeply downward and there were little railway tracks on the floor. Griphook whistled and a small cart came hurtling up the tracks toward them. They climbed in. Hagrid with some difficulty. And were off.

At first they just hurtled through a maze of twisting passages. Harry tried to remember left, right, right, left, middle fork, right, left, but it was impossible. The rattling cart seemed to know its own way, because Griphook wasn't steering anything.

Harry's eyes stung as the cold air rushed past them, but he kept them wide open. Once, he thought he saw a burst of fire at the end of a passage and twisted around to see if it was a dragon, but it was to late. They plunged even deeper, passing an underground lake where huge stalactites and stalagmites grew from the ceiling and floor.

"I never remember." Harry called to Hagrid over the noise of the cart. "What's the difference between a stalagmite and a stalactite?"

"Stalagmite's got an 'm' in it," Hagrid's wavered a bit. "An' don' ask me questions just now, I think I'm gonna be sick."

At that Harry flinched reminded of his aunt and uncle. Though Hagrid did look very green, and when the cart stopped at last beside a small door in the passage wall. Hagrid got out and had to lean against the wall to stop his knees from trembling.

Griphook unlocked the door. A lot of green smoke came billowing out, and as it cleared Harry gasped. Inside were mounds of gold coins. Columns of silver. Heaps of little bronze Knuts.

"All yours," smiled Hagrid.

All Harry's. It was incredible. The Dursleys couldn't have known about this or they'd have had it from him faster than he could blink. How often had they complained how much Harry cost them to keep, though not that they ever really spent any money on him anyways. And all the time there had been a small fortune belonging to him, buried deep under London.

Hagrid helped Harry pile some of it into a bag.

"The gold ones are Galleons." He started explaining. "Seventeen silver Sickles to a Galleon and twenty-nine Knuts to a Sickle, it's easy enough. Right that should be enough fer a couple o' terms, the goblins will keep the rest safe for yeh." He turned to Griphook. "Vault seven hundred and thirteen now please, and can we go more slowly?"

"One speed only." Griphook spoke.

They were going even deeper now and gathering speed. The air became colder and colder as they hurtled round tight corners. They went rattling over an underground ravine, and Harry leaned over the side to try to see what was down at the dark bottom, but Hagrid groaned and pulled him back by the scruff of his neck.

Vault seven hundred and thirteen had no keyhole.

"Stand back." Griphook said importantly. He stroked the door gently with one of his long fingers and it simply melted away.

"If anyone but a Gringotts goblin tried that, they'd be sucked through the door and trapped in there" Griphook smirked.

"How often do you check to see if anyone's inside?" Harry questioned.

"About once every ten years." Griphook told him with a rather nasty grin.

Something really extraordinary had to be inside this top security vault, Harry was sure. And he leaned forward eagerly, expecting to see piles of jewels or money at the very least. But at first it looked empty. Then he noticed a grubby little package wrapped up in brown paper lying on the floor. Hagrid picked it up and tucked it deep inside his coat. Harry longed to know what it was, but knew better than to ask.

"Come on, back in this infernal cart. And don't talk to me on the way back, it's best if I keep me mouth shut," said Hagrid. Harry flinched again still reminded of his aunt and uncle.

One wild cart ride later they were walking back to the lobby when Harry asked. "Hagrid is it possible to covert some of my wizarding money to pounds?" Thinking that he could use the money to come back to the wizarding alley and look around some more.

"O' course you can. But why would yeh want to do that?" Hagrid looked at Harry.

"Well I wouldn't mind buying things in the muggle world when I go back to the Durleys."

"Well you go an' do that while I wait by th' doors. Alright?" Hargrid asked.

"Sure." Harry replied happily. He went over to a free teller the goblin looked a bit busy, so he decided to wait. The goblin upon noticing that Harry was waiting he set aside his work. "What do you want?"

"I like to echange some galleons to pounds please." Harry answered politely.

"Very well, what is the amount you would like to exchange?" The goblin asked.

Harry blinked, he didn't know how much pounds there was to a galleon or anything. "I'm sorry, but could you please tell me how much muggle to wizard money is?"

"Very well, it is 5 pounds to 1 galleon." The goblin answered. Harry quickly did the math for 500£. "I'd like to exchange 100 galleons please."

"Would you like to withdraw it from your vault or here?"

Harry thought about that and while he had plenty of galleon on him, he didn't know how much his school things would cost. "From my vault please."

"Key." The goblin requested. Harry handed him his key. The goblin took the key examined it and stamped some papers that he then handed to Harry to sign. When that was done the goblin handed him his key back, along with a clip of notes.

"Thank you sir." Harry said turned and left to go and rejoin Hagrid he never saw the calculating look the teller fixed on him as he walked away.

Both Harry and Hagrid stood blinking in the sunlight outside Gringotts. Harry didn't know where to go to first now that he had money to use. He didn't have to know how many Galleons there were to a pound to know that he was holding more money than he'd had in his whole life. Maybe even more money than even Dudley had ever had, he wasn't to sure about that though.

"Might as well get yer uniform firs'." Hagrid nodding toward Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. "Listen Harry, would yeh mind if I slipped off fer a pick-me-up in the Leaky Cauldron? I hate them Gringotts carts." He did still look a bit sick, so Harry entered Madam Malkin's shop alone, feeling nervous.

Madam Malkin was a squat, smiling witch dressed all in mauve.

"Hogwarts dear?" The woman asked when Harry started to speak. "Got the lot here. Another young man being fitted up just now, in fact."

In the back of the shop, a boy with a pale pointed face was standing on a footstool while a second witch pinned up his long black robes. Madam Malkin stood Harry on a stool next to him) slipped a long robe over his head, and began to pin it to the right length.

"Hello." The boy started. "Hogwarts, too?"

"Yes." Harry answered.

"My father's next door buying my books and mother's up the street looking at wands." The boy had a bored, drawling voice that didn't suit him. "Then I'm going to drag them off to took at racing brooms. I don't see why first years can't have their own. I think I'll bully father into getting me one and I'll smuggle it in somehow."

Harry was strongly reminded of Dudley frow how he spoke.

"Have you got your own broom?" The boy continued.

"No."

"Play Quidditch at all?"

"No." Harry said again wondering what on earth Quidditch could be.

"I do. Father says it'd a crime if I'm not picked to play for my house, and I must say I agree. Know what house you'll be in yet?"

"No," Harry feeling stupid and depressed for not knowing anything by the minute, Hagrid was right he didn't know anything about anything.

"Well, no one really knows until they get there do they. But I know I'll be in Slytherin, all my family has been. Imagine being in Hufflepuff, I think I'd leave. Wouldn't you?"

"Mmm." Harry went along wishing he could talk about anything else but this. He would regret thinking that in a few minutes.

"I say, look at that man!" The boy spoke up suddenly, nodding toward the front window. Hagrid was standing there, grinning at Harry and pointing at two large ice creams to show he couldn't come in.

"That's Hagrid." Harry spoke pleased to know something the boy didn't. "He works at Hogwarts."

"Oh." The boy said. "I've heard of him. He's a sort of servant, isn't he?"

"He's the gamekeeper." Said Harry. He was liking the boy less and less every second for he sounded almost exactly like Dudley did.

"Yes, exactly. I heard he's a sort of savage. Lives in a hut on the school grounds and every now and then he gets drunk tries to do magic, and ends up setting fire to his bed."

"I think he's nice." Harry coldly told the boy.

"Do you?" The boy said with a slight sneer. "Why is he with you? Where are your parents?"

"They're dead." Said Harry shortly. He didn't feel much like telling anybody who he was after what happened earlier in the leaky cauldron. He also didn't was to speak with the boy much anymore.

"Oh sorry." The other boy said not sounding sorry at all. "But they were our kind, weren't they?"

"They were a witch and wizard, if that's what you want to know."

"Good, I really don't think they should let the other sort in don't you? They're just not the same, they've never been brought up to know our ways. Some of them have never even heard of Hogwarts until they get the letter, imagine that. I think they should keep it in the old wizarding families. What's your surname, anyway? I've never met or seen you before."

As Harry went to answer the blonde before he could say a word, Madam Malkin spoke interrupting them. "That's you done, my dear." And Harry, not really sorry for an excuse to stop talking to the boy, hopped down from the footstool.

"Well I'll see you at Hogwarts then, I suppose." The blonde boy drawled.

Harry was rather quiet as he thought over the encounter with the boy from the rob shop, as ate the ice cream Hagrid had bought him (chocolate and raspberry with chopped nuts). He realized that he the boy was somewhat right, he didn't know anything about the wizarding world or magic at all. He resolved to find some books about them and read up on it.

"What's up?" Hagrid asked him.

"Nothing," Harry lied. He didn't want Hagrid to get upset again about him not knowing anything, plus it was embarressing. They stopped to buy parchment and quills, Harry wondered if he could use normal pen and paper as the quill looked hard to write with, and the parchment was not bound together so it wasn't good for note keeping. Harry cheered up a bit when he found a bottle of ink that changed color as you wrote, he found that neat. When they had left the shop, he had finally gathered enough courage and asked. "Hagrid, what's Quidditch?"

"Blimey Harry, I keep forgettin' how little yeh know. Not knowin' about Quidditch!"

"Don't make me feel worse." Harry was red with embarressment. He told Hagrid about the pale boy bringing it up in Madam Malkin's, and that he was curious about it.

"He also said people from Muggle families shouldn't even be allowed in."

"Yer not from a Muggle family. If he'd known who yeh were. He's grown up knowin' yer name if his parents are wizardin' folk. You saw what everyone in the Leaky Cauldron was like when they saw yeh. Anyway what does he know about it, some o' the best I ever saw were the only ones with magic in 'em in a long line o' Muggles. Look at yer mum! Look what she had fer a sister!"

"I guess. So what is Quidditch?"

"It's our sport. Wizard sport. It's like. Like football in the Muggle world. Everyone follows Quidditch. Played up in the air on broomsticks and there's four balls. Sorta hard ter explain the rules."

"And what are Slytherin and Hufflepuff?"

"School houses. There's four. Everyone says Hufflepuff are a lot o' duffers, but"

"I bet I'm in Hufflepuff." Harry said gloomily.

"Better Hufflepuff than Slytherin." Hagrid said darkly. "There's not a single witch or wizard who went bad who wasn't in Slytherin. You-Know-Who was one."

"Vol-. Sorry, You-Know-Who went to Hogwarts?" Harry was curious about why Hagrid said that all Slytherin's went bad, the boy wasn't too bad to be considered evil. A bull most likely, but surely not everyone who was in that house was like that?

"Years an' years ago." Hagrid spoke.

* * *

They bought Harry's school books in a shop called Flourish and Blotts where the shelves were stacked to the ceiling with books as large as paving stones bound in leather. Books the size of postage stamps in covers of silk, books full of peculiar symbols and a few books with nothing in them at all. Even Dudley who never read anything, would have been wild to get his hands on some of these. Hagrid had to drag Harry away from the history section where he was looking for books about the wizarding world. Though it was also a bit hard to speperate from Curses and Countercurses (Bewitch Your Friends and Befuddle Your Enemies with the Latest Revenges: Hair Loss, Jelly-Legs, Tongue- Tying and Much, Much More) by Professor Vindictus Viridian.

" I was trying to find out more about the history of the wizarding world."

"I'm not sayin' that's not a good idea, but yeh will cove' that in history o' magic." Hagrid. "An' anyway, yeh wouldn' prolly want to read those dry ol' books." But Harry still wanted to know, because he didn't really want to be caught unaware like today. Though Hagrid only let him buy what was on the required school list and not a thing more.

They got gim his pewter cauldron and got a nice set of scales for weighing potion ingredients and a collapsible brass telescope. Then they went to the Apothecary which was fascinating enough to make up for its horrible smell, a mixture of bad eggs and rotted cabbages. (The cabbage smell reminded him of old Mrs. Figg.) Barrels of slimy stuff stood on the floor; jars of herbs, dried roots, and bright powders lined the walls. Bundles of feathers, strings of fangs, and snarled claws hung from the ceiling. While Hagrid asked the man behind the counter for a supply of some basic potion ingredients for Harry, Harry himself examined silver unicorn horns at twenty-one Galleons each and minuscule, glittery-black beetle eyes (five Knuts a scoop). Harry wanted to get more and he wanted to try some small thing out so he could get somewhat familiar working with everything.

Outside the Apothecary, Hagrid checked Harry's list again.

"Just yer wand left. Ah yeah, an' I still haven't got yeh a birthday present."

Harry felt himself go red.

"You don't have to-"

"I know I don't have to. Tell yeh what, I'll get yer animal. Not a toad, toads went outta fashion years ago, yeh'd be laughed at. An' I don' like cats, they make me sneeze. I'll get yer an owl. All the kids want owls, they're dead useful, carry yer mail an' everythin'." Harry was bemused he didn't think that there was anything wrong with toads, he didn't mind cats and he didn't know anything about owls.

Twenty minutes later they left Eeylops Owl Emporium, which had been dark and full of rustling and flickering jewel-bright eyes. Harry now carried a large cage that held a beautiful snowy owl, fast asleep with her head under her wing. He couldn't stop stammering his thanks, sounding just like Professor Quirrell.

"Don' mention it" Hagrid said gruffly. "Don' expect you've had a lotta presents from them Dursleys. Just Ollivanders left now. Only place fer wands, Ollivanders, and yeh gotta have the best wand."

'A magic wand.' This was what Harry had been really looking forward to, as he can now probably do more than just grow his hair. Granted he didn't try much of anything else as alot has happened since that day, he promised himself that he would practice both types of magic when he had time.

The wand shop was narrow and shabby. Peeling gold letters over the door read Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C. A single wand lay on a faded purple cushion in the dusty window.

A tinkling bell rang somewhere in the depths of the shop as they stepped inside. It was a tiny place, empty except for a single, spindly chair that Hagrid sat on to wait. Harry felt strangely as though he had entered a very strict library, he swallowed a lot of new questions that had just occurred to him and looked instead at the thousands of narrow boxes piled neatly right up to the ceiling. For some reason, the back of his neck prickled. The very dust and silence in here seemed to tingle with some secret magic.

"Good afternoon." Said a soft voice. Harry jumped. Hagrid must have jumped too, because there was a loud crunching noise and he got quickly off the spindly chair.

An old man was standing before them, his wide pale eyes shining like moons through the gloom of the shop.

"Hello." Harry said feeling awkward.

"Ah yes." Said the man. "Yes, yes. I thought I'd be seeing you soon. Harry Potter." It wasn't a question. "You have your mother's eyes. It seems only yesterday she was in here herself, buying her first wand. Ten and a quarter inches long, swishy made of willow. Nice wand for charm work."

Mr. Ollivander moved closer to Harry. Harry wished he would blink. Those silvery eyes were a bit creepy.

"Your father on the other hand, favored a mahogany wand. Eleven inches. Pliable. A little more power and excellent for transfiguration. Well, I say your father favored it. It's really the wand that chooses the wizard, of course."

Mr. Ollivander had come so close that he and Harry were almost nose to nose. Harry could see himself reflected in those misty eyes.

"And that's where."

Mr. Ollivander touched the lightning scar on Harry's forehead with a long white finger.

"I'm sorry to say I sold the wand that did it." He spoke softly. "Thirteen and a half inches. Yew. Powerful wand, very powerful. And in the wrong hands. Well, if I'd known what that wand was going out into the world to do."

He shook his head and then, to Harry's relief spotted Hagrid.

"Rubeus! Rubeus Hagrid! How nice to see you again. Oak sixteen inches, rather bendy, wasn't it?"

"It was, sir yes." Hagrid said solemnly.

"Good wand, that one. But I suppose they snapped it in half when you got expelled?" Mr. Ollivander suddenly stern.

"Er. Y-yes, they did, yes," Hagrid said now shuffling his feet. "I've still got the pieces, though." He added brightly.

"But you don't use them?" Mr. Ollivander asked sharply.

"Oh no, sir." Hagrid answered quickly. Harry noticed he gripped his pink umbrella very tightly as he spoke.

"Hmmm." Mr. Ollivander hummed, giving Hagrid a piercing look. "Well, now. Mr. Potter. Let me see." He pulled a long tape measure with silver markings out of his pocket. "Which is your wand arm?"

"Er. well, I'm write with my right hand." Harry answered unsurely.

"Hold out your arm. That's it." He measured Harry from shoulder to finger, then wrist to elbow, shoulder to floor, knee to armpit and round his head. As he measured, he talked. "Every Ollivander wand has a core of a powerful magical substance, Mr. Potter. We use unicorn hairs, phoenix tail feathers, and the heartstrings of dragons. No two Ollivander wands are the same, just as no two unicorns, dragons, or phoenixes are quite the same. And of course, you will never get such good results with another wizard's wand."

Harry suddenly realized that the tape measure which was measuring between his nostrils, was doing this on its own. Mr. Ollivander was flitting around the shelves, taking down boxes.

"That will do." He said and the tape measure crumpled into a heap on the floor. "Right then, Mr. Potter. Try this one. Beechwood and dragon heartstring. Nine inches. Nice and flexible. just take it and give it a wave."

Harry took the wand and felt foolish when he waved it around a bit, but Mr. Ollivander snatched it out of his hand almost at once.

"Maple and phoenix feather. Seven inches. Quite whippy. Try."

Harry tried. But he had hardly raised the wand when it too, was snatched back by Mr. Ollivander.

"No, no. Here ebony and unicorn hair, eight and a half inches springy. Go on, go on try it out."

Harry tried and tried. He had no idea what Mr. Ollivander was waiting for. The pile of tried wands was mounting higher and higher on the spindly chair, but the more wands Mr. Ollivander pulled from the shelves. The happier he seemed to become.

"Tricky customer, eh? Not to worry, we'll find the perfect match here somewhere. I wonder, now. Yes, why not. Unusual combination. Holly and phoenix feather eleven inches, nice and supple."

Harry took the wand. He felt a rush of sudden warmth in his fingers and throughout his whole body, he raised the wand above his head brought it swishing down through the dusty air and a stream of green, orange, pink, blue, purple, white, black, gray, red and gold ribbons shot from the end and floated to the floor. Hagrid whooped and clapped and Mr. Ollivander cried, "Oh, bravo! Yes, indeed. Oh, very good. Well, well, well. How curious. How very curious."

He put Harry's wand back into its box and wrapped it in brown paper, still muttering. "Curious. Curious.

"Sorry." Harry apologized. "But what's curious?"

Mr. Ollivander picked up the ribbons off the floor and fixed Harry with his pale stare.

"I remember every wand I've ever sold, Mr. Potter. Every single wand. It so happens that the phoenix whose tail feather is in your wand, gave another feather. Just one other. It is very curious indeed that you should be destined for this wand when its brother why, its brother gave you that scar."

Harry swallowed.

"Yes, thirteen and a half inches. Yew. Curious indeed how these things happen. The wand chooses the wizard, remember. I think we must expect great things from you, Mr. Potter. After all He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named did great things. Terrible yes, but great."

"It is also curious that these ribbons came out of your wand Mr. Potter. Normally children who are just getting their first wand only have one or two sparks explode from the tip, kind of like fireworks. These colours represent you somewhat, either what you have or what you can achieve." Mr. Ollivander handed Harry thr ribbons. "I will let you find out the rest of what it means on your own. However, be careful of them Mr. Potter. These colours tell quites a bit about a person, keep an eye on them."

Harry shivered. He wasn't sure he liked what Mr. Ollivander told him too much. He paid seven gold Galleons for his wand, and Mr. Ollivander bowed them from his shop.

The late afternoon sun hung low in the sky as Harry and Hagrid made their way back down Diagon Alley. Back through the wall, back through the Leaky Cauldron that was now empty. Harry didn't speak at all as they walked down the road, he didn't even notice how much people were gawking at them on the Underground, laden as they were with all their funny-shaped packages, with the snowy owl asleep in its cage on Harry's lap. Up another escalator, out into Paddington station. Harry only realized where they were when Hagrid tapped him on the shoulder.

"Got time fer a bite to eat before yer train leaves." He said.

He bought Harry a hamburger and they sat down on plastic seats to eat them. Harry kept looking around. Everything looked so strange, somehow.

"You all right, Harry? Yer very quiet." Hagrid enquired.

Harry wasn't sure he could explain. He'd just had the best birthday of his life. And yet. He chewed his hamburger, trying to find the words.

"Everyone thinks I'm special." he said at last. "All those people in the Leaky Cauldron, Professor Quirrell, Mr. Ollivander. But I don't know anything about magic at all. How can they expect great things? I'm famous and I can't even remember what I'm famous for. I don't know what happened when Vol- Sorry. I mean, the night my parents died."

Hagrid leaned across the table. Behind the wild beard and eyebrows he wore a very kind smile.

"Don' you worry, Harry. You'll learn fast enough. Everyone starts at the beginning at Hogwarts, you'll be just fine. Just be yerself. I know it's hard. Yeh've been singled out, an' that's always hard. But yeh'll have a great time at Hogwarts. I did. Still do, 'smatter of fact."

Hagrid helped Harry on to the train that would take him back to the Dursleys, then handed him an envelope.

"Yer ticket fer Hogwarts, " He said. "First o' September. King's Cross. It's all on yer ticket. Any problems with the Dursleys send me a letter with yer owl, she'll know where to find me. See yeh soon, Harry."

The train pulled out of the station. Harry wanted to watch Hagrid until he was out of sight, he rose in his seat and pressed his nose against the window, but he blinked and Hagrid had gone. He would go back to Diagon Alley again tomorrow and get some books on the wizarding world. He wouldn't be clueless when he gets to Hogwarts.

**Authors note. First story I've ever wrote and here it is, if you notice any spelling errors or grammatical mistakes please do tell.**

**DO NOT REVIEW IF- **

**You are going to tell me that this chapter is too similar to canon.**

**That I have plagiarism. As I have not, I have already told you that I have only reallychanged minor things in the first few chapters.**

**That I just copied from the Philosophers Stone because I did (though I made some changes), so that when I do get to the changes that I made in my story you will know all of what I have changed of Harry's life to that point. (I didn't want to do flashbacks...)**

**This is only the beginning to the story, and I didn't want to immediately start off where I changed things because it didn't seem right. (At least for my first story.) I'll tell you right now that I originally planned for this story to begin in fifth year but when I went to write this came out, while the story may end up similar to the one I had originally planned it is now different than the one I had planned to write. Please at least read the second chapter before writing a flame, and actually have a basis to writing it other than me sticking close to canon. I did tell you in the description that it would be so for the first few chapters.**


	2. Back To Diagon Alley

Chapter 2

**Disclaimer - Harry Potter or anything associated does not belong to me.**

Enjoy.

* * *

BACK TO DIAGON ALLEY

* * *

When Harry had gotten back to the Dursley's home, they were already back from the shack on the rock island. Dudley was now so scared of Harry he wouldn't stay in the same room, while Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon didn't shut Harry back in his cupboard, force him to do anything, or shout at him. In fact, they didn't speak to him at all. Half terrified, half furious, they acted as though any area with Harry in it were empty. This was an improvement in many ways, he wasn't beaten, forced to do any chores other than cook and clean up dinner. (Which he got nothing of.)

When he finished all of that he went up to Dudleys second bedroom and immediately went to his new things, he started sorting through the books, quills, ink and parchment, uniforms everthing that he had bought earlier that day.

Harry took the ink, quills and parchment to see if is going to be as hard as he believes it will be. He was right. He tried writing all of what he bought that day and already it was a mess. The ink was everywhere, the words were blotchy and he had pressed the quill to hard on the parchment ant went through it. Nothing like the wring on his Hogwarts letters. He tried a few more times, though not with much better results it did improve. You could now recognize the words, and he no longer scratched through the parchment.

Feeling that he accomplished something Harry put the writing equipment away, and brought out his potion thing book included. Reading the beginning of the potions book, and looking through the recipies. He realized that he knew how to cook, which may have similar motions like cut, chop, mince and grind. But what he didn't know how to do, was doing those motions with the magical ingredients. He took one of the pens and empty notebooks he had found in the room, and made a list of all that he needed to do.

* * *

Find out about everything that his parents left him

Books on Wizarding World. (History and Traditions.)

Voldemort and the war

Controlling and using magic

The meaning of colours in your magic

Hogwarts/ Ministry of Magic

Potions guide, how to handle magical potions ingredients

* * *

Harry wrote all the things that he could think of what he needed to get when he went to Diagon Alley again tomorrow. He continued on to looking through his things, there was a clang from the other side of the room. Startled Harry turned quickly to see, only to find out that his new snowy owl that Hagrid had bought for his birthday making the noise. He hadn't named her yet as he didn't know what to name her, and he didn't want to be like his cousin who named his tortoise Tortie. (Who had sadly been thrown through the greenhouse roof. Harry was still looking for the poor reptile.) he had gone through all the names that he knew and none, not one suited his owl.

Knowing that she needed a name Harry looked at all of the books in the room, and his eyes fell on his a Histiory of Magic book. He sat on the bed facing his owl, and started to talk to her.

"Hey girl, I need to name you but I don't know what name would suit you. Would you like it if I read out names to you?" The owl hooted softly and flew over to Harry and landed on the bed next to him. Harry taking that as a yes start to reading out names that he found interesting.

"Bathilda?" His owl squawked harshly and ruffled her feathers.

"I guess that's a no then. Wendelin the Weird?" She gave another squawk, but it wasn't as harsh as the last one and didn't ruffle her feathers.

"What about Hedwig? After Saint Hedwig of Silesia also Saint Hedwig of Andechs 1174–15 October 1243 from the comital House of Andechs was Duchess of Silesia from 1201 and of Greater Poland from 1231 as well as High Duchess consort of Poland from 1232 until 1238. And Jadwiga Polish pronunciation 1373/4–17 July 1399 was monarch of Poland from 1384 to her death. Her official title was 'king' rather than 'queen', reflecting that she was a sovgerign in her own right and not merely a royal consort. She was a member of the Capetian House of Anjou, the daughter of King Louis I of Hungary and Elizabeth of Boznia [2]. She is known in Polish as Jadwiga, in English and German as Hedwig, in Lithuanian as Jadvyga, in Hungarian as Hedvig and in Latin as Hedvigis?" This time his owl hooted softly and nipped him.

"Hedwig it is then. I can now write your name on the side of your cage." The newly dubbed Hedwig hooted softly preened, and then she flew the few feet to her cage. After Harry finished writing Hedwigs name on the cage he went back to sorting through his school things.

After reading the first chapter of every new book he got that day he realized that he didn't fully understand what the books were saying, so he took out his list of things to buy and added to it.

* * *

Find out about everything that his parents left him

Books on Wizarding World. (History and Traditions.)

Voldemort and the war

Controlling and using magic

The meaning of colours in your magic

Hogwarts/ Ministry of Magic

Potions guide, how to handle magical potions ingredients

Basic guide on all Hogwarts classes

* * *

With that done Harry had nothing more to do, so deciding to look through the books to find and easy enough spell to test out. Harry made a list of the possibly easy to do charms, the ones that he could try without drawing attention from his family that he was practicing his magic.

* * *

Wand-Lighting Charm- is a charm a light-creation spell used to illuminate the tip of the caster's wand, this light is fairly warm. Incantation-Lumos.

Unlocking Charm- also known as the Thief's Friend is a charm that opens mechanical locks that are not protected by magic. It is also able to open doors locked by Colloportus. Incantation-Alohomora.

Locking Spell- is a charm that is used to lock or seal doors so that they cannot be opened manually; however, it is unknown whether a key could be used to unlock them. Incantation-Colloportus.

Mending Charm- also known as the Repairing Charm was a charm that could be used to seamlessly repair a broken object. Incantation-Reparo.

Levitation Charm- is a charm used to make objects fly. Incantation-Wingardium Leviosa.

Severing Charm- is a charm used to precisely and accurately cut something. Incantation-Diffindo.

Fire-Making Spell-also known as the Fire-Making Charm, is a charm that can be used to conjure a jet of flame thereby setting things alight. Incantation-Incendio.

* * *

Harry decided to try them out in the order on the list as it, although he would not use the Severing charm or the Fire making spell at the Dursley's home. Trying out the light making charm took him 2 tries to get the movement and the words of the spell to work. Playing with the spell Harry tried it out many times, to make sure that he could use it properly before trying to do it without his wand. Successfully doing the spell without his wand, he found that it was harder to use the spell without his wand. Though without his wand he could control the little ball of lights movement and brightness from the start, while with the wand it was easier to use the spell and harder to move or brighten or dull the light.

Moving onto the next spell Harry locked his trunk and tried out the unlocking spell. Surprising himself he succeeded on the first try, trying out the spell a few more times he moved onto wandless. He found himself with the same results as the first spell, easier to control the spell but harder to use. Trying the locking spell gave him exactly the same results.

Getting to the spell he found possibly the most usefull Harry got some paper and ripped it in half. When he finally got to the wandles part and succeeded a few times he got up, walking over to the mirror Harry used wandless magic to try and repair his glasses. Succeeding he removed his glasses he examined his glasses with awe.

Getting to the last spell Harry got one of the books that Dudley had left in the room, he practiced the levitation spell with some difficulty as he had trouble pronouncing the words properly. He didn't want to use the spell without knowing how to properly say it, he'd read the warning for mispronounced spells and didn't want to end up in a situation that he could not fix himself.

When he was done practicing the spells he looked at the time, and decided that if he wanted to leave for the alley tomorrow that he would need to get some sleep. Tidying up his things and organizing them inside his trunk, he went to that washroom to get ready for bed. Coming back Harry turned off his light said goodnight to Hedwig and went to sleep on the small lumpy bed.

* * *

In the morning at 7o'clock Harry woke up to his alarm, shutting it off before it could wake anyone else, he got out of bed to get ready for the day. Going down into the kitchen Harry made breakfast for his aunt, uncle and cousin. Taking two pieces of toast with marmalade he went back up to his room to grab everything that he needed, which was contained in a bag just inside the door. By a quarter to 8 o'clock Harry had said goodbye to Hedwig, left the house and headed out to the train station.

Harry arrived at the train station after a short walk there he bought a ticket for the next train to London, the train was at 8:45 so he sat down to read a book that he'd brought with him to wait. The train arrived not long after and Harry quickly boarded not wanting to get left behind. Arriving at Paddington station Harry made his way to Charing Cross Road to where the Leaky Cauldron was located. Arriving at the Leaky Cauldron storefront Harry rummaged through the bag that he had brought with him, he brought out a hat that was fairly new that Dudley had bought for himself but was too small for his head.

Jamming the hat on his head Harry went through the Leaky Cauldron quickly with no mishaps. Quickly passing through the brick wall he headed back to Gringotts. Arriving at the entrance Harry removed his hat and walked in, looking for a free goblin. Spoting one he walked up to the desk and patiently waited to be seen to. When he recieved the goblins attention he spoke.

"Excuse me sir I was here yesterday and I would like to know if I can get a record of all that is in my vault please?"

"Name?" "Oh, my name is Harry Potter."

"Key." Harry removed his key from his pocket and handed it to the goblin. The goblin looked over the key and passed it back over to Harry when he was done.

"Griphook!" The goblin called out, calling the same goblin that had escroted Hagrid and himself through the bank yesterday. Griphook arrived. "Griphook escort Mr. Potter to the Potter head manager."

Griphook then turned and started walking away, thanking the teller goblin before hurrying over to follow Griphook. Arriving in a different part of the bank then yesterday they passed numerous doors Davis, Patil, Greengrass, Diggory, Nott, Bones, Longbottom Malfoy, Black and many others. They arrived at the door that said Potter, Griphook knocked sharply on the door. An answer beckoning them in, once inside the doors they were now standing in a roomy elegant office. A goblin was reading over papers that seemed to consume the desk he was sitting at. Stopping the goblin looked up, Griphook spoke then. "Mr. Potter here to see you about his vaults."

"Very well, you may stand outside the doors." As Griphook left to do as he was ordered. The new goblin turned his attention to Harry. "Finally come to accept your responsibility as the heir apparent of the Potter family, I see." Baffled at this Harry went to question and explian why he was here. "I'm sorry, but I don't understand what you mean. I came here today to see if there were other things that my parents left that is not money in my vault. Can you please explain what you mean sir?"

"Call me Stonehammer, it is to my undertanding that you are the last direct living relative of the Potter family." Stonehammer stated "As such you are the heir apparent of the Potter family."

"What does being the heir apparent mean?"

"It means that you eligible to recieve the full Potter lordship and estate, you have not been named the heir by either your father or the Potter family Head."

"Who is the Potter family head? And how exactly am I the heir apparent?"

"There is no current family head as Lord Potter died before you were born, and your father the heir never claimed lordship. Now will you be stepping up as the heir or not?"

More than a little confused and not knowing what was happening, Harry thought about what his options were. Deciding Harry said. "Yes I will be claiming the heirship, is there anything that I have to do so? And does being the heir require anything specific I have to do?"

Stonehammer gathered paprs as he answered. "All that you are required to do to claim your heirship is 3 drops of blood in a potion to confirm your relationship to the family, and that you are who you say you are. The answer for your second question is that it will be easier for you to learn how to manage and maintain your estates, though you are not required to it would benefit you to know and understand what is happening with your estate. You wouldn't want your family to lose it's holdings would you." Stonehammer handed Harry a small sharp knife and a blue potion, doing as he was instructed he made a small slice on his thumb and let three drops of blood fall into the potion.

After the last drop of blood hit the potion it turned a blood red colour. Handing the knife and potion back to Stonehammer, he watched as the goblin dipped an odd quill into the potion. When the quill had sucked up every drop of the potion Stonehammer set it on some empty parchment and let go. Harry sat amazed for a few seconds as the quill began scratching away on the parchment by itself. When the quill finished writing Harry was now looking at the parchment that of his fathers family.

* * *

Haydin (Harry) James Potter heir apparent to the Potter and Black families

Dorea Potter nee Black grandmother-deceased

Charlus Potter grandfather-deceased

James Poter father-deceased

Lily Potter nee Evans-deceased

* * *

Stonehammer took the parchment and looked it over. "It seems that we must inform Lord Black that the Heir apparent has been found." Stonehammer wrote a quick note, when he was done writing he spoke a few words and the note disppeared in a poof of smoke. "Lord Black should be here momentarily to assess you, to see if you are fit to carry the lordship."

"Sir, what if I don't want to be the heir of two families?"

"If that is the case then you will lose a part of your magic depending on how well you were suited to be the heir." Harry was unsettled about learning this, wishing that he was better prepared for this than what he was.

There was a sharp rap on the door telling them that Lord Black had arrived.

"Come in." Stonehammer called out. A second later a refined older man strode in and behind him was a goblin with a sheaf of parchment.

"So the heir has been found I see, why has he been found early? When normally it would be quite a few more years for this information to come forth.

"Ah Lord Black this is young Mr. Potter he took a blood verification test as he had not been recognized as the Potter heir for his father never took over the Potter lordship."

"I see, shall we continue with the claiming of the Potter and Black heirships now then?" Lord Black questioned "But you have not assessed Mr. Potter yet." Stonehammed stated

"I have no need to, as he is the grandson of my cousin Dorea there is no better person to dig the Black name out of the mud that my children have thrown our family into." At this point Lord Black turned to Harry. "That is if you wish to become my heir?" Harry was in no way going to give up any part of his magic just because he didn't want to control two family estates. "Yes sir I would like to be your heir in addition to the Potter family heir." When Harry answered Lord Black gave a ghost of a smile.

"Call me Arcturus or uncle if you prefer young heir."

"We are ready for the heirship claiming now Lord Black Mr. Potter." Stonehammer informed them. "Shall we proceed?"

Arcturus looked at Harry met hi eyes, and then turned back to Stonehammer and nodded.

"Follow me then, quickly now." Going down a dimly lit hallway and into a room that was empty but for some red, gold, yellow, green and white stones in a circle with a few symbols. "Mr. Potter stand in the middle of the circle, Lord Black you know what to do I expect. The ritual of claiming will begin shortly, we shall start with the Potter claiming first and then the Black claiming." Stonehammer informed them, while he was moving about the room readying it for the rituals about to take place.

Harry saw that Arcturus had gotten into place while he had moved to the middle of the circle.

"The ritual will begin now. Be warned now the ritual may be slightly painful for you if you haven't participated in one." At that Stonehammer bagan to chant a string of words that Harry could neither follow or understand. Harry grit his teeth when he felt the pain while the pain wasn't all consuming or sharp, it was a constant pain that grew gradually. And when Harry felt like he was about to pass out the pain started to settle, that was when both Stonehammer and Arcturus started speaking in unison. The pain immediately flared back to life, and Harry gave a surprised shout when the pain got worse until he finally fell into blissfull unconsciousness.

* * *

Later on Harry awoke to a dim room on a small but very comfortable bed. As he moved to sit up wondering where he was when his body protested quite loudly, he gave a small moan and settled back onto the bed figuring that it would only hurt worse if he forced himself to move. Hearing a rustle and soft footsteps drawing near, Harry turned his head to see Arcturus standing there with a small vial in one hand.

"Can you sit up child?" Arcturus questioned softly. Harry went to answer but all that came out of his dry throat was a croak. Swiftly Arcturus lifted Harry's head and placed a glass at his lips. "Drink slowly or you will choke." Harry listened to the man and began to sip at the water, when he had drank half of the glass Arcturus set it aside and set the small he was holding earlier to Harry's lips.

Harry moved his head to meet Arcturus' eyes. At seeing those questioning green orbs Arcturus sighed. "It is merely a mild pain reliever, the ritual was more intense than we exspected it to be, with your father being a pureblood. And if you are wondering where we are, we're still at the bank but in a private room for such occasions as this one." Curious at the part about his father Harry quickly drank the offered potion, and began firing questions at Arcturus. "Why was the ritual so painful, and why didn't you expect it? What is a pureblood? Also why would it matter that my father is one anyways?" Harry shot.

Arcturus sat on the side of the bed and got comfortable before answering. "A pureblood is someone who comes from a long line of magical family on both sides, your father was one. And as for the ritual Stonehammer and I as well mistakenly thought that your father would have continued to preform the rituals, even though he had married your mother."

"What do you mean you thought that my dad would continue to preform the rituals? What rituals? And what do you mean even though dad married my mum?"

"What I mean with continuing to preform the rituals is that given your reaction to the ritual of claiming, that your father did not continue to honor magic through the wizarding rituals and traditions. Rituals like the one that we just preformed bring our magic out and into the earth tempering it, not taming it like some think.

No rituals just calm the magic within us bringing us closer to it, understanding it just a bit more than before. It also helps young children control their magic and lessen accidental are other rituals but I will teach you them later on. Now as for your father marrying your mother it is no problem as she was a strong and bright young witch, but as she was muggleborn I suppose your father discontinued practicing the rituals and traditions becuase of her."

"But why would my mum cause my dad to stop practicing the rituals and traditions?" Harry was very confused as even though the ritual was very painful let alone going through two consecutively, he knew that Arcturus was telling the truth as he could feel the warmth that is his magic contently flowing throughout his body. He would also learn to do these rituals as he only seemed to benefit from them if he could be able to control his magic better, so he wouldn't have as many accidental magic at the Dursley's.

"As you may know, your mother while stong and bright she was still a muggleborn. Now muggleborns tend to think that the wizarding worlds rituals and traditions are barbaric, as too many improperly used and prepared the rituals and caused themselves pain. When those muggleborns used the rituals they were caused pain because they were releasing their magic into the earth for the first time ever. They foolishly jumped into the rituals head first, much like we did today with you Harry. For that I apologize for the pain that I have caused you.

We should not have done both claiming rituals today, and we should have prepared you. These types of rituals are powerful and normally you will only feel the warmth of your magic rushing through you. Also if you have not practiced a ritual for sometime they would only cause irritation or slight pain, as you have never preformed a ritual before today the rituals caused you pain." When Arcturus was done speaking his head was facing the floor and he looked in as if he was in physical pain while saying this, as if it hurt him by how he had thrust Harry into a ritual unprepared and had caused him pain.

"It's okay." Harry told the older man. "It wasn't your fault that you didn't know, you couldn't possibly have known. Will you teach me the proper way to practice the rituals and traditions?"

Surprised and startled by Harry's question Arcturus' head snapped up to look at Harry. "After what you experienced today you are still willing to learn our ways?"

"Of course I still want to learn the wizarding way, while I may not agree or see eye to eye on everything it is still a part of me. And the ritual even though it was painful I can feel my magic better and it feels more calm to me."

Hearing this had Arcturus softly smiling at Harry. "You should rest some more, I will be back later to take you to finish the claiming if you are feeling well." He stood up and pulled the blanket up to cover Harry more. He then walked out of the room shutting the door quietly behind him, leaving Harry in the dark room alone to rest. Harry who'd had no time to protest that he didn't need to rest, had fallen asleep five minutes later.


	3. An Unexpected Change

**Disclaimer- The Harry Potter series or that associated with it does not belong to me.**

**Enjoy.**

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Chapter 3

AN UNEXPECTED CHANGE

* * *

It was shortly after the noon hour that Harry woke up for the third time that day. Quickly getting out of the bed and making his way to a door that he had not noticed the last time he had woke. Opening the door to a small bathroom, going inside and relieving his bladder. Deciding to take a quick shower to chase away the last dregs of sleep and the lingerings traces of pain left from the ritual. Grateful to whomever had changed him into night wear, he could have a shower without having to change back into soiled clothing. Making sure that he had his change of clothing with him, he set about getting into the shower. Once done from the shower Harry shut off the water, toweled off and grabbed his clothes.

Harry immediately noticed that they weren't _his_ clothes. His clothes were just cast offs from what Dudley couldn't or occasionally didn't want, to wear. And the clothing that he had mistakenly thought were his, they were brand new. How could he have missed _that! _Seeing as he had nothing else to wear he dressed in the clothes. They fit quite nicely they had some room for him to grow a bit, if he ever did mind you. He was still only 4'4 and a half inches. The clothes were cotton, a dark blue button up, a pair of black trousers along with a light cloak, and not to mention the new underpants, socks and loafers. All in all he looked like he was well off.

Walking out of the bathroom and into the small bedroom lost in thought about where his clothes had gone, he was startled out of his thoughts when he saw Arcturus sitting on the same chair as last night. Arcturus turned to look at Harry his eyes taking in the new cothes that he was wearing. "They fit you I see, some room for you to grow as well. How do you like them?"

Harry now knew where the clothes had come from, protested. "I can't take these clothes. I don't think that I could afford to pay you back and still pay for all my school years."

"You are the Potter and Black heir now, so you must look the part. No more running around in rags, it will give the Potter's and Black's a bad reputation." Arcturus rebutted' Not that the family does not have a bad reputation already. Thanks to my son letting his wife run the family.'

Curious Harry asked. "Why would me wearing my clothes give a bad reputation to our family?"

"It would give us a bad reputation because with you running around in rags would be saying that either we cannot take care of our family, or that we don't bother to make sure that all the members of the family are looked after. While you do not have to wear outright expensive clothing, you will wear clothes that are suited for you. Things that don't hang off your body, and don't drown you in the fabric making you look like a street urchin." Arcturus patiently explained to Harry.

Having a better understanding of what Arcturus was telling him, Harry made a mental note to go shopping for some clothes before he returned to the Dursley's. After a moment Arcturus stood up and spoke. "We should head back to Stonehammer's office to finish the claining." He turned and started heading out towards the door.

"Alright." Harry agreed following Arcturus back into the main part of the bank.

* * *

A short walk and few minutes later both Harry and Arcturus were seated in Stonehammer's office.

"Ah, Heir Potter. We at Gringrotts do humbly formally apologize for our misconduct with you, we should have taken precautions in the proceedings of the two rituals that have taken part today. As such we have set up an amount of money to be transfered to your trust vault in reparations for our wrong, and ask you that you forgive our actions towards you." Stonehammer quietly stated.

"You d-" Harry started to say but stopped because of the sharp look that Arcturus had sent him, Stonehammer looked to Arcturus as the Black lord spoke.

"Heir Potter acknowledges goblin nation for seeing their wrong and quickly setting it right. He accepts your apology and will continue doing business with Gringotts." Arcturus spoke formally. Stonehammer then turned back to Harry. "Is this correct Heir Potter?" Harry looked at Arcturus who nodded his head and gave him a look that said that he would explain later.

"It is true Manager Stonehammer, thank you for taking swift actions in light of your misconduct." Harry said trying to speak as formally as he could.

"The money shall be transfrered immediately when you sign these papers." Stonehammer slid some papers over to Arcturus who read them over before he passed them to Harry, who signed his full name after skimming through them and passing them back to Stonehammer. Arcturus gave Harry a pleased look when he saw this.

"Now moving onto finishing the claiming. To finish the claiming you must be accepted by the heir's ring." After saying this he brought out two ornate boxes with different motto's on them. One had the saying 'Toujours Pur' and the other 'Teulu yn gyntaf'. Harry didn't know what they meant other than the word toujours- which meant always, he knew that from the french classes in primary.

When Stonehammer handed him the boxes he opened the one that said 'Toujours Pur', and inside was a small ring with a black gemstone, opening the other box he saw another small ring with a red gemstone. Looking at Stonehammer to finish his explaination.

"Both rings should be put on the left hand. When you put on the ring it will accept you as the heir and merge with your, magic making your family magic stronger in a sense. You may put on both rings at the same time and you will feel no pain or only your magic and that of the rings coming together. Once the rings have accepted you as the heir you can take the ring off at any time, and still be the heir and have the merged magic if you so wish." After Stonehammer finished talking Harry looked at the rings.

Both rings looked harmless but he knew that they couldn't be as they had magic of their own. Cautiuosly picking up both rings he put them both on his index finger. Harry felt his finger grow warm, growing hotter for a few moments until he felt uncomfortable from the heat, the warmth then traveled through his entire body before meeting his magic and settling back into a welcoming warm swirling coil.

"Now that you have been accepted by the rings and the ritual done, Gringotts will do the mandatory sweep of all your vaults and will owl you the bank statments. If by any chance that there is a discrepancty with the vaults we will make an appointment suitable to your schedual as you have school. If you will follow Griphook he will escort you outside. Thank you for your business done today, may you always prosper." Stonehammer intoned.

Both Arcturus and Harry at Arcturus' prompting look to do so said. "Blessed be." When the words were said the rooms temperature rose a few degrees unnoticed.

With that said and done Arcturus left the room with Harry trailing behind, to follow their goblin guide back to the main hall of the bank. Harry was thinking of all the things that had happened since he arrived at the bank early this morning, it was now the afternoon and he had found a distant relative. A long since given up on dream come true. He thought of all the things that he didn't understand about the wizarding world, and if he would ever know or understand any of it.

When they arrived at the entrance of the bank Harry turned and thanked Griphook for taking the time to lead them back. "Thank you Griphook for your time today." Harry then said the greeting that were given earlier. "May you always prosper" Both Arcturus and Griphook were surprised at the blessing, as people never blessed a goblin for anything but Harry was doing so.

"Blessed be." Griphook dazedly replied. The room temperature again rose without notice.

* * *

Happy Harry then turned and started walking out of the bank with a pensive Arcturus beside him. Once out of the bank Arcturus stated leading them towards a quiet resraurant called the Abraxan Den. The restaurant had a nice quiet atmosphere, it was a place where you could talk without interruption or being disturbed.

Once they were seated, menus popped into being in front of them.

Harry was startled. "What was that- I mean how did that happen?"

Arcturus looked up from his menu. "The house elves. Once you know what it is that you would like to eat, just state the name of the dish and drink, along with anything that you want added or not included in the dish." When he was done explaining that he ordered the creamy chicken salad with ginger, Arcturus' order shortly apeared infront of him along with his choice of drink. Seeing how it was done Harry looked the menu over but saw nothing that he had eaten before on it, everything that he saw was too rich for his stomach to be able to properly digest.

Arcturus seeing Harry's plight ordered for him. Harry soon had a plain cheese sandwich and a small bowl of bland soup with some milk to drink. Harry looked at Arcturus questioningly.

"We will talk about what you can and cannot eat later, for now let's eat and talk about what you wish to do for the rest of the summer."

Nodding Harry ate half of the cheese sandwich and all of the soup while, sipping his milk every once in a while. When both were finished eating Arcturus asked Harry what he would do for the rest of the summer.

"Well I want to read about the basics for every class that Hogwarts will teach, so I know some of what the other kids will already know. I also want to be able to write legibly, for essays for class so the teachers are able to read my writing. Read about the wizarding world and history and a few other things, I have a list here if you'd like to read it?" Arcturus nodded and held out his hand for the list, Harry rummaged through his bag pulling out the list and handing it over to Arcturus' awaiting hand.

* * *

Find out about everything that his parents left him

Books on Wizarding World. (History and Traditions.)

Voldemort and the war

Controlling and using magic

The meaning of colours in your magic

Hogwarts/ Ministry of Magic

Potions guide, how to handle magical potions ingrediants

Basic guide on all new hogwarts classes

* * *

Handing the list over, Arcturus looked Harry over before he spoke. "That is a hefty amount for one person to do, let alone by themselves with no one to help them. How do you expect to proceed with doing everything on this list with no one to help you?"

"Well Hagrid- I mean the person who told me that I was a wizard and took me to Diagon Alley yesterday, I was going to owl them if I had any questions." Harry said tentively, not quite sure why he hadn't thought of this before.

"Ah yes Hagrid, and how would he be able to tell you about these things if he hasn't already done so, things that he does not know to tell you? What I mean is that the standard proceedure for muggle raised magical children, are that they receive a visit from a teacher approximately six months before their eleventh birthday. It is so that they have time to adjust to, and explore this new world that has just been revealed to them. To not have this time to prepare yourself for the upcoming year at Hogwarts should never be done, as it will only bring the education standards down.

Hagrid is not qualified to deliver a letter or any letter, to a muggle raised magical child which no doubt you are. Which brings us to the question on why you did not get the manditory visit from a teacher, six months ago." With that new bit of information Harry started to question everything. "But my mother was a muggle raised, maybe they thought that my aunt would tell me of the wizarding world?" Harry asked.

"You still would have gotten the manditory visit, because while the family of the muggle raised knows about the wizarding world. They do not and cannot properly understand the wizarding world. If it were to be only explained by the family of a muggle raised witch or wizard to another muggle raised magical child, there would be large gaping holes in that muggle raised magical child's knowlegde of the wizarding world." Arcturus explained.

That explanation took whatever argument Harry had thought of, and turned it into meaningless useless words. To think that he had been robbed of his chance to catch up to his peers in a timely manner. He now had to cram every scrape of knowledge he could into his head within a month so as to not make a fool of himself, and to not give his family a bad reputation. Harry refocused his attention back onto Arcturus once he continued speaking.

"Though you are at a disadvantage I will do whatever I can to provide for you, as not only you are the Black heir you are also family. If you are willing to, you may spend the rest of the month before you are to go to Hogwarts with me at my home. Though you will be expected to learn everything that you can, without stressing yourself." Arcturus finished.

Shocked. Completely and utterly shocked. Harry didn't know what to think, let alone speak. He could hardly form a thought with everything rushing through his head. After a few minutes Harry had calmed down enough to form a coherent thought. He would be free of the Dursley's for the rest of the summer, and he wouldn't have to see them for nearly a whole year! He was estatic at the chance to escape his mothers family.

"Yes I would love to spend the rest of the month with you!" Harry enthusiastically agreed.

Chuckling Arcturus stood up. "Well then shall we go and retrieve your things and return to my home?"

"But what about the food? We haven't payed yet." Harry asked.

"Haydin, I do not have to pay here. The Black's own this establishment." Was an amused Arcturus' reply.

"Oh. Well then I suppose we should go get my things. I- Is it possible that we get some muggle clothes, and some other things please?"

"If you wish." Arcturus agreed. "Now how did you get here today?"

"I took the muggle train."

"Then that's how we shall get to your home. And we will go shopping in the muggle world afterwards, I have already ordered proper wizarding attire for you." Arcturus told Harry.

"Alright." Harry agreed.

* * *

Later in the afternoon after a quiet unremarkable train ride, bit Arcturus and Harry arrive at Privet Drive. Arcturus once seeing the monotony house after house, street after street curled his lip in distaste. Harry seeing that privately agreed, there was not much difference on the block. Always the same boring things to do day in and day out, probably why Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon like it here so much.

Arriving at number four Harry didn't know what to do. 'Should I knock to let them know that someone is here with me, or just walk in and most likely get yelled at.' Harry thought. Making the choice to knock so Arcturus wouldn't know of his poor living conditions.

Arcturus' eyebrow rose once he saw Harry raise his hand and knock on the door. Wondering what a strange thing it was that a child who lived here would have to knock. That was until a large beefy man that looked remarkably like a walrus with his mustache, who immediately upon seeing Haydin started insulting the boy without even noticing that Arcturus was standing right beside Haydin.

"Boy! How dare you leave your chores to go out running about the streets like a hooligan, you ungrateful little freak! We clothe you, feed you, put a roof over your head and this is the way you treat us- Like the ungrateful little street urchin you are, forcing yourself onto others with no care how they feel! Why-" Uncle Vernon was cut off.

"Excuse me, I have never seen such utter idiocy- To berate a child for being just that, a child." Arcturus cut in and sharply reprimanded Uncle Vernon with his words and the look on his face. "Children are to be admonished for wrong doing not berated and insulted for doing wrong or percieved wrongs-"

Harry lost track of the conversation there, he was shocked and amazed. The only other person in his whole life who he'd had seen stand up to Uncle Vernon over him was Hagrid. And even then it wasn't just for Harry that Hagrid had done it for, it was Albus Dumbledore who his uncle had insulted that Hagrid had gotten angry over.

Harry's mind was brought back to the conversation when Arcturus mention his name.

"-Haydin will be coming to stay with me for the rest of the duration of the summer." Arcturus finished up berating his uncle. Uncle Vernon stood in the doorway pale faced with his mouth bobbing like a fish. Harry wondered just what exactly Arcturus had said to Uncle Vernon to put him in such a state.

"Are you ever going to learn manners so that Haydin and I may go and fetch his things, and be free of your presence." Arcturus spoke after a minute. Pale and now shaking Uncle Vernon wordlessly opened the door fully and let them inside, when they were inside he quicky closed the door and waddled off towards the kitchen as quickly as he could.

Amused Harry led Arcturus up the stairs into Dudley's second bedroom that he was now staying in.

At seeing the state of the room Arcturus' face soured and looked very displeased, he pulled out his wand and gave the room a quick makeover. Turning the once shabby and partially broken things back into the condition it once was. He then turned towards the door and once again began to cast magic. Not seeing anything happening but feeling something happening, Harry asked Arcturus what he was doing.

"I have made it so that while you are in this room your relatives will not be able to bother you, not even to think about doing so. Also I've made it so that they won't be coming inside the room at all while you still live here. Once you leave the house and not return everything shall return to things once were, that is what will happen once I am finished and I have keyed the magic to you. Later on when I have more time, I will come back and add a few things for you that you may need." Arcturus then finished his casting. "Do you have everything that you will be taking with you, I don't wish to bring you back here during the summer."

Harry nodded to Arcturus' question. "What kind of things will you be adding?" Harry asked curiously.

"Ah, but then it won't be much of a surprise when you find out next summer, will it? I will however leave you a list explaining everything that I have done." Arcturus gently teased Harry.

Pouting Harry grudgingly agreed with Arcturus, though it didn't help the curiousity that he felt in wanting to know what Arcturus would do. He couldn't help but feel anticipation to return next summer, even though he wouldn't be happy to return to the Dursley home.

Getting all of his things that he would be taking with him to Hogwarts with the exception of Hedwig, who Arcturus had told to go to someplace called Stone edge manor. He turned his head to Ask how they would go shopping with all of his things in tow, when he saw that Arcturus had flicked his wand and had shrunk- Shrunk- His things so they now would fit into his pocket. Slipping his things into his pocket, he asked if Arcturus would teach him how to do that. To which he replied.

"We'll see how your learning of the wizarding world goes first."

Happy with that response Harry started to walk out of the room but was stopped by Arcturus.

"We will not be going back to London by train. We shall apparate to the Leaky Cauldron and go from there. Apparition is one way of traveling that is almost instantaneous, to apparate with me you must have a firm hold onto my arm." Arcturus informed Harry.

Harry excited to try out a new form of magic eagerly took a hold on one of Arcturus' arms.

"You may feel uncomfortable for the first few times, so it's best to just take a deep breath and hold it until the senstion stops." Arcturus warned Harry, amused by his excited actions. Making sure that Harry had followed his advise Arturus promptly apparated and they were gone with a soft pop of displaced air that was now empty.

* * *

**A/N- So I was going to upload this chapter last week when I updated chapter 1, but the power went out and I lost that chapter 4.**


	4. Learning New Things&Getting On The Train

**IMPORTANT! This is the 5th chapter to those of you who have followed my story from the beginning. I merged the original chapter 1&2 together, so if you have not read the new chapter 3 yet you may want to do so now. I am sorry for any inconvenience that I may have caused you.**

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**Disclaimer- The Harry Potter series or that associated with it does not belong to me.**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

Chapter 4

LEARNING NEW THINGS AND GETTING ON THE TRAIN

* * *

After Arcturus and Harry were finished buying Harry a whole new wardrobe in muggle attire, in various colours, designs, seasons, and for special occasions as well. Harry hadn't wanted to get so much but Arcturus had told Harry to "Be quiet and take what I give you as you are family." And that was the end of that conversation. After the clothes shopping Harry lead the way into a stationary shop.

There Harry bought a few stacks of lined and blank paper, lots of pens and pencils with erasers and shapeners. Harry got 15 new notebooks to have a total of 20 for school, 13 medium sized and 2 large sized binders. Feeling that he had gotten enough school supplies, he looked around found a calligraphy set which he got to improve his writing, a refillable fountain pen that used the same kind of ink that he had gotton from Diagon Alley.

And lastly Harry had bought some art supplies as he liked to draw occasionally to pass the time. It helped him to relax when he drew, especially when he was looking at the finished product of his drawings. It helped because he was a decent artist in his opinion.

Walking out of the stationary shop the both of them with pockets littered with Harry's new clothing and school supplies, they headed to the Leaky Cauldron to apparate to Arcturus' home.

Once Harry had gotten over the sensation of apparition, he looked around at his surroundings. He immediately saw a large stone manor built on the top of a hill with a cliff, though the house was a fair distance away from the edge of the cliff. The stone of the manor was nice and smooth from years of rain water, the hill that the manor stood on was a nice healthy grassy plain that had beautiful gardens all around the house. And around the bottom of the hill was a forrest that had a walk way to a town Harry supposed, which lead up to the house.

"It's amazing." Harry spoke in a soft amazed voice.

Arcturus chuckled. "Yes it is a beautiful home, this is where I grew up. Been in the family for quite a few generations. Your grandmother on your fathers side also lived here from time to time, she always said that she couldn't bear to stay away from the beauty of the land for too long. Now shall we go inside and get you settled?" He asked.

Harry nodded still a bit dazed from the sheer beauty of the manor, walked behind Arcturus following him up the path towards his home. The interior of the home was almost as beautiful as the outside, with the earthy tones throughout made Harry relax as if he were still outside. Hearing a pop Harry turned towards the sound, and was nearly so startled he almost yelped at the strange creature that had appeared, wearing a clean white dress.

"Can Rosey be doing anything for Lord Black and his young guest?" The now named creature spoke.

"Yes, Rosey. You can take Haydin's things up to the room that is to be prepared for him to stay in immediately for the rest of the month. Please make sure that it is a room close to mine." Arcturus told Rosey.

"Yes Lord Black. I is to be doing that right away sirs." And with a snap of Rosey's fingers Harry's things flew out of both of Harry's and Arcturus' pockets, resizing to their proper size before disappearing.

"Arcturus, exactly what was that creature?" Harry asked Arcturus.

"A house-elf is a stong magical creature which is devoted and loyal to one designated as their master. They serve wizards and witches and are usually found under the employment of old wizarding families taking residence in inside their master's homes, and must do everything that their masters command unless they are freed. A house-elf can only be freed when their master presents them with clothes, sometimes only when the owner has the intention to do so if their bond is stong with their master, or if they can be freed immediately upon being given clothes from their masters. If they are freed immediately then that house elf was sadly abused, and the house elf wishes to be free." Arcturus explained. And there was another pop, signifying that Rosey had returned.

"The rooms are finished now Lord Black. Is yous wishing anything else Rosey can be doing for you?" The little elf asked.

"Good, well done Rosey. You can now take Haydin to his room so that he may get familier with them, I expect him to be in the dining hall for supper at six thirty this evening." Arcturus told Rosey.

"I can be doing that Lord Black sir. Please follow me little Haydin sir." Rosey spoke to Harry.

Pouting at being called little and being reminded how true it actually was. Following Rosey through the house towards the room that he would be staying in, Harry was looking at the simply but beautifully done hallways. The hallways continued to show the earthy colours of the foyer, making Harry feel the happy swarm of butterflies in his stomach at the thought that he would be staying here until he went to Hogwarts.

"We are heres little Haydin sir."

"You can call me Harry."

"Oh no Rosey can't be doing that little Haydin sir! Its be rude." Rosey argued.

"Rosey it's not rude if I ask you to call me Harry is it?" Harry coaxed.

"But yous a wizard sir."

"I have only know that I'm a wizard for a short time, and before that I thought that I was an ordinary person. So please call me Harry."

Rosey was upset. "No little Haydin sir is never ordinary. Little Haydin sir is to be Lord Black someday, magic be wishing it so! Rosey shall call little Haydin sir Harry sir from now on. Rosey be back to take you to dinner later Harry sir." Rosey declared before popping away.

Wondering what Rosey had meant by, 'magic be wishing it'. Opening the door to the room, he was blown away by the amazing room that was his to use. Going inside was a large room that had a seating area along with a bookshelf that had quite a few books on it already, and a desk area that already had his writing things out and ready to use.

There were two sets of double doors that were open leading leading away from the sitting area, one set were glass see through doors leading to a balcony that overlooked the back gardens and the edge of the cliff, while the other set led to a nicely done room with a blue and white colour scheme. Inside the actual bedroom there was a bathroom off to the side through a door that followed the bedrooms colour scheme. Seeing his trunk at the foot of the bed Harry went to it and looked inside, his trunk was completely empty of his things.

Seeing a closet he went over to it and looked inside. There was all of his clothing that he had gotten ealier that day. Leaving the bedroom to go back to the sitting room, Harry went to look at the books.

Seeing one named Wizarding Families and Holidays, taking the book off of the shelf he sat down on one of the couches and curled up to read.

* * *

_Wizarding Families_

_In wizarding families that practice the old ways or has a large estate, these families will have a chosen heir to inherit everything in the family. If the family has more than one child then the child that is not the heir will recieve a trust vault with a percentage of the family vault chosen by the head of house, and will have an arranged marriage to an heir of another family._

_When the heir of a family is chosen by either the head of house, or magic if the head family has died out. In the occasion that the head family has died out magic will take over the choosing of an heir, so as to not have any confliction from any branch families that want headship of the family. And for when the family head chooses an heir (almost always the first born or first boy if not disinherited.), the child will take part in a ritual of claiming to bring their magic closer and to to the family magic as well._

_The heir of a family will recieve a larger trust vault when chosen and in the case that the heir has a child of a multiple birth, then all of the children must also be claimed as the heir. The reason for this is that in multiple births, twins are magically linked through a bond formed by cenception. As opposed to muggle twins who have a small connection to each other, magical twins are identical in every way in magic and looks in the case of identical twins._

_Twins of any kind is not very common in the wizarding world like it is in the muggle world. This is due to the shared magic that all multiple births children have, most times in a pregnancy with multiple children there is not enough magic to divide between them. The magic then merges the twins together in the womb, there has never been a recorded case in a pregnancy that this has happened that the child is born a squib. There are rituals to try and help prevent magic from merging twins together by taking ambient magic around you and adding it to the pregnant persons magic, which is then immediately given to the babies. This ritual cannot be used all of the time as if the ritual used too often if you are not pregnant, it can kill you from the source of foreign magic constantly invading your magical core._

_Twins are able to- _POP!

* * *

The sudden sound had made Harry jump and look around for the source, spotting Rosey who spoke when he looked at her.

"Harry sir, Rosey is here to takes you to eat with Lord Black sir."

Harry was very surprised, it still seemed as if he'd only just sat down to read. Marking the page that he was on and closing the book, he stood up and followed Rosey to the dining room. Harry was surprised about the size of the room, he'd thought that there would be a large room with a large dining table. But no that was not the case, the room was not very big compared to the rest of the house. It was only about the size of the Dursley's living room, with a nice dark varnished wood table.

Seeing Arcturus already seated Harry quickly seated himself net to Arcturus, on the right side as the man had indicated towards.

They made small conversation during dinner, until Harry finally asked why the dining room was so small when the rest of the house was large.

Arcturus laughed when he heard the question and then answered. "When my father and mother had both passed on and I inherited this house, I remodeled the home to my tastes. The house was dreary before, it only the outside that was beatiful. The house looked like an expensive shop put on for show, you would be afraid to move around because you may break something expensive. The biggest change that I made was the dining hall, I made this small intimate family dining room and moved the dining hall beside the ballroom. Not that they are ever used very much."

"That sounds nice, and you did a wonderful job with redecorating the house. It seems as if it has always been this way."

"Thank you. I tried my best to do exaclty that, with help from Rosey of course. Now that dinner is over, how is the room that you will be staying in. Is it to your liking, or would you like it to be changed?" Arcturus asked.

"Oh no, the rooms are wonderful. There is so much space and things to do that I don't think that I will be bored at all this summer." Harry was quick to tell Arcturus what he thought of the room, he didn't want anything to be changed it was perfect the way it was.

"That is good to know, is there anything that you would like though?"

"I've been reading the books that were on the bookshelf in my room, is it alright if I continue to read them?"

"Of course it's good to see that you are taking your learning of the wizarding world so seriously. If you read all of the books in your room tell me and I shall supply you with new ones. Your robes shall be here tomorrow morning. If you don't need anything else you may go back to your room or explore if you so wish, I will be in my study." Arcturus informed Harry before leaving the room.

Harry deciding that he could explore another day called Rosey to lead him back to his room. As soon as he arrived back at his room he thanked Rosey and went inside to finish reading his book.

Opening the book to the page marker he started reading where he left off at.

* * *

_Twins are able to feel and share threir knowledge, emotions, thoughts and magic that the other has not learnt cutting down the need to study by half. Muggle born and raised magical children call this ability to share knowledge cheating and unfair. While magic raised people see this as the twins using what is available to them and an incredible gift of magic, as most consider twins to be the same person in two bodies at the same time._

_Because of the shared magic if one twin was to be claimed as the heir and hold the headship alone then one twins will die, most commonly the twin not the heir or head of house. This is because of the shared magic all twins have one twin now has too different magic, once claimed as heir or head of house and the magic goes through the twin bond and invades the other twins magic.. It may be family magic that is taking root in the twins', but the twin that did not go through the ritual of claiming is not prepared for all of the family magic to merge with their own. The one twins magic seeing a possible threat will fight the influx of family magic, fighting their own magic and twin bond eventually killing themselves._

_When one of the twins dies the shared magic then goes to the remaining twin, but as that remaining twin no longer has exactly the same magic. Their own magic will fight what it sees as foreign, eventually dieing. Before dieing though the remaining twins magic attacks their body, no longer able to carry on the family by first becoming sterile immediately (both magically and bodily). Living through the slow immensly painful breaking down of the body, done by their own magic fighting itself._

_On the occasion that the direct line dies out (the chosen heir and the head of house, not the whole family.), then magic will make the choice on who will become the heir and later the head of house. This happens so that there is no fight over who it will be, because magic takes the family magic and finds the most suitable living family member. This family member can be anybody related to the family though blood even if their name is no longer the same, the one deemed suitable to magic will not reciever the heirship or headship. Instead they will they will have a child no matter the situation they are in, by magic making it so. No one will know who the heir is until the child takes a full heritage test._

_Full heritage tests are normally only done when an orphan is going to take the mantle of headship at 16 years old, and the manditory full heritage test at Gringotts for all witchs wizards (even muggle born and half bloods) must take at the age of 21 years old._

* * *

_Family Magic_

_Family magic does not discriminate against blood. Family magic is hereditary, and must be used to keep the magic trait(s) strong. If family magic is not used to the family member who does not use the trait, then they will have children that the trait is dormant in. There are two ways of waking up dormant family magic one is a ritual to wake all dormant traits in children, but the ritual will only wake the family magic that has been dormant for two generations. And the second is practicing the family magic though it will take time and will be taxing until you have awakened the magic fully, this will only work until five generations pass because by then that family magic has died and is no longer available._

_There is a third little known way to gain a dormant family trait. Someone with a dromant trait must be fully disinherited from the active family magic, when the current active family magic is removed it has a side affect of waking dormant family magic that is in the blood. The disinherited person now has active family magic though they will not have very much control over it, their children will have better control of the magic but still not full control and will never gain full control unless reinstated into the family, or marrying back into the family._

_To create a family magic trait the family (muggle born) must do a simple ritual before you have a child for full a effect. You may do the ritual after you have a child but the child will only get a small boost in their magical core, while gaining a small amount of ease in the parents best magic along with any other children you may have afterwards. If the ritual is done before you have any children then any children you have will have a larger boost to their magical core and more ease in the parents best subjects, the reason is because while in the womb the child will absorb more ambient magic from the surroundings and not rely on just the parents magic._

_Though the ritual starts family magic, it takes generations to gain a specific magical gift from the most used and best magic branch of the family magic. Thus creating specialized unique family gifts. Like the Weasley family fertility is a unique family gift, Ginivie Weasley nee Levin used a ritual for family magic to strengthen her families gift of charms in her future children. Ginivie was a healer specilizing in fertility charms for helping barren people able to become pregnant, so the magic of the ritual took that magic specialization and turned it into a magical gift. The Weasley family now has not had problems getting pregnant since._

* * *

_Holidays that are celebrated in a wizarding household_

_**Imbolc**- February 1 or 2. Also known as Oimelc, Candlemas, St Brigit's Day._

_As with all Old Tradition observances, this holiday is usually celebrated beginning at sundown on February 1 and continuing through the day of February 2. Imbolc means in the belly of the Mother because that is where seeds are beginning to stir as it is Spring.  
Another name for this holiday is Oimelc, meaning milk of ewes since it is also the traditional lambing season in the old world. Herd animals have either given birth to the first offspring of the year or their wombs are swollen and the milk of life is flowing into their teats and udders. It is the time of Blessing of the seeds and consecration of agricultural tools. It marks the center point of the dark half of the year._

_**Ostara**- March 21. Spring or The Vernal Equinox Also known as Lady Day or Alban Eiler (Druidic)_

_As Spring reaches its midpoint, night and day stand in perfect balance, with light on the increase. It is a time of great fertility, new growth and newborn animals.  
The next full moon (a time of increased births) is called the Ostara and is sacred to Eostre the Saxon Lunar Goddess of fertility (from whence we get the word estrogen, whose two symbols were the egg and the rabbit._

_**Beltane**- April 30th / May 1. Also known as Roodmas or May Day_

_Many wizards and witchs celebrate Beltane. It is one of eight solar Sabbats. This holiday incorporates traditions from the Gaelic Bealtaine such as the bonfire, but it bears more relation to the Germanic May Day festival, both in its significance (focusing on fertility) and its rituals (such as May pole dancing). Some traditions celebrate this holiday on May 1 or May day, while others begin their celebration the eve before or April 30th. Beltane has long been celebrated with feasts and rituals._

_**Litha**- June 21. Summer Solstice. Also known as Alban Heruin (Druidic)_

_Although the name Litha is not well attested, it may come from Saxon tradition - the opposite of Yule. On this longest day of the year, light and life are abundant. Midsummer Night's Eve is also special for adherents of the Faerie faith. The alternative fixed calendar date of June 25 (Old Litha) The name Beltane is sometimes incorrectly assigned to this holiday by some modern traditions, even though Beltane is the Gaelic word for May._

_**Lughnasadh/Lammas**- July 31st-August 1st_

_At Lammas, sometimes called Lughnasadh, it's time to celebrate the first harvest of the year, and recognize that the hot summer days will soon come to an end. The plants of spring wither and drop seeds to ensure future crops. Grains are ready to be harvested and the fruits are ripe for picking. We can give thanks for the food on our tables. Lughnasadh means the funeral games of Lugh (pronounced Loo)._

_**Mabon** Autumn Equinox 2nd Harvest, September 21st._

_Mabon, (pronounced MAY-bun, MAY-bone, MAH-boon, or MAH-bawn) is the Autumn Equinox. The Autumn Equinox divides the day and night equally, and we all take a moment to pay our respects to the impending dark. We also give thanks to the waning sunlight, as we store our harvest of this year's crops. The Druids call this celebration, Mea'n Fo'mhair. Various other names for this Lesser Sabbat are The Second Harvest Festival, Wine Harvest, Feast of Avalon, Equinozio di Autunno (Strega), Alben Elfed (Caledonii), or Cornucopia. The Teutonic name, Winter Finding, spans a period of time from the Sabbat to Oct. 15th, Winter's Night, which is the Norse New Year._

_**Samhain**- October 31_

_Samhain, (pronounced SOW-in, SAH-vin, or SAM-hayne) means "End of Summer", and is the third and final Harvest. The dark winter half of the year commences on this Sabbat._

_It is generally celebrated on October 31st, but some traditions prefer November 1st. It is one of the two "spirit-nights" each year, the other being Beltane. It is a magical interval when the mundane laws of time and space are temporarily suspended, and the Thin Veil between the worlds is lifted. Communicating with ancestors and departed loved ones is easy at this time, for they journey through this world on their way to the Summerlands._

_Originally the "Feast of the Dead" was celebrated in Celtic countries by leaving food offerings on altars and doorsteps for the "wandering dead". Today a lot of practitioners still carry out that tradition. Single candles were lit and left in a window to help guide the spirits of ancestors and loved ones home. Extra chairs were set to the table and around the hearth for the unseen guest. Apples were buried along roadsides and paths for spirits who were lost or had no descendants to provide for them. Turnips were hollowed out and carved to look like protective spirits, for this was a night of magic and chaos. The Wee Folke became very active, pulling pranks on unsuspecting humans. Traveling after dark was was not advised. People dressed in white (like ghosts), wore disguises made of straw, or dressed as the opposite gender in order to fool the Nature spirits._

_**Yule/The Winter Solstice**- Varies from December 20-23 depending on the year in the Gregorian calender._

_Yule is also known as the winter solstice in the northern hemisphere and the summer solstice in the southern hemisphere due to the seasonal differences. Yule, __(pronounced EWE-elle) is when the dark half of the year relinquishes to the light half. Starting the next morning at sunrise, the sun climbs just a little higher and stays a little longer in the sky each day. Known as Solstice Night or the longest night of the year, the suns "rebirth" is celebrated with much joy the Giver of Life that warmed the frozen Earth. From this day forward the days would become longer._

* * *

By the time it took Harry to finish reading the rest of the book, only two days of summer were left. He didn't only just read the book, he has taken breaks to explore the house and grounds, get to know Arcturus better, learning how to eat and interact with pureblood society. He also learned the spells to make things shrink smaller than their size and to enlarge them again, along with the packing spell, which he used to pack his trunk already leaving out only a few clothes.

The last two days were spent with Arcturus, Rosey and Hedwig. The night of August thirty first came at a swift pace.

Harry woke at six o'clock the next morning because he was too excited and nervous to go back to sleep. He got up and pulled on a pair of his muggle trousers, because he didn't want to walk around the Kings Cross station in his wizard's robes. He would change when he got on the train. He checked his Hogwarts list yet again to make sure he had everything he needed, saw that Hedwig's cage was safely shut in his trunk as he sent her ahead to Hogwarts.

He then headed down for breakfast, his trunk shrunk and inside his pocket. Surprised at seeing that Arcturus was already up, Harry sat down in his usual seat and sat to wait until breakfat was served.

"I had a feeling that you would be up early, so I made sure that everything was prepared for today. Would you mind at all if we were to go to Diagon Alley this morning for breakfast? It should be near deserted with most parents and children at home getting everything ready to leave for Hogwarts." Arcturus asked.

"I'd love to, thank you for everything you've done for me this summer." Harry thanked Arcturus.

"Let us be on our way then. We shall be taking the floo to the Leaky Caulron, all you have you do is throw the floo powder into the fireplace, walk in and clearly state Diagon Alley. If you don't you'll end up coming out of the wrong grate. Also take a deep breath before you talk, and don't tense your body when leaving the floor. It makes you tumble out possibly hurting yourself, best thing to do is stay calm, relaxed and keep your arms close to your body." Arcturus explained.

Harry was nervous about trying the floo out. Arcturus saw this and decided to go first to show him how it was done. "Rosey keep an eye on Haydin and inform me immediately if something is to go wrong."

"Yes Lord Black sir." Was Rosey's reply.

Arcturus preformed a spell on both himself and Harry before throwing a pinch of floo powder in the fireplace. Immediately emerald green flames burst into existence, Arcturus stepped into the fireplace. "Diagon Alley." He called out firmly. Arcturus was then engulfed in the flames and when they sputtered out of existence, he was no longer there.

"Your turn Harry sir!" Rosey chirped happily.

Harry steeled his nerves before taking a pinch of powder and throwing it into the fireplace, it instantly roared to life. He apprehensively stepped into the flames, feeling the heat but not any burning. Taking a deep breath. "Diagon Alley." He spoke quickly before snapping his eyes shut, he tensed at first from the spinning sensation but soon relaxed enough that he no longer felt sick. He was then spit out of the grate and he stumbled, but caught himself before he fell.

"You tensed didn't you." Arcturus said before he preformed a spell that made his skin tingle. Harry opened his eyes and saw the last of the soot he had on him disappear.

"How about we order ourselves some breakfast before we go get some ice cream. And then head off to Kings Cross." Arcturus said sitting himself down at a table. After they ate they went into the Alley to the ice cream parlor, they then set off into muggle London towards the train station. It was almost ten thirty when they had arrived.

Letting Arcturus lead them where they need to go they arrived at the barrier between platform nine and ten.

* * *

Arcturus turned towards Harry and explained to Harry that magic was hiding platform nine and three-quarters from view, and that they just had to walk through the wall to get on the platform. Skeptical Harry walked towards the platform with Arcturus behind him, getting close to the wall Harry closed his eyes expecting to hit the wall. The imparct never came and he stopped walking when he heard Arcturus chuckle.

Harry quickly opened his eyes and saw a scarlet steam engine waiting next to a platform packed with people. A sign overhead said Hogwarts' Express, eleven o'clock. Harry looked behind him and saw a wrought-iron archway where the barrier had been, with the words Platform Nine and Three-Quarters on it. He was relieved, and that small part inside of him that still doubted was laid to rest.

Smoke from the engine drifted over the heads of the chattering crowd, while cats of every color wound here and there between their legs. Owls hooted to one another in a disgruntled sort of way over the babble and the scraping of heavy trunks.

The first few carriages were already packed with students, some hanging out of the window to talk to their families, some fighting over seats. Harry pushed his cart off down the platform in search of an empty seat. He passed a round-faced boy who was saying. "Gran, I've lost my toad again."

"Oh, Neville." He heard the old woman sigh.

A boy with dreadlocks was surrounded by a small crowd.

"Give us a look Lee, go on."

The boy lifted the lid of a box in his arms, and the people around him shrieked and yelled as something inside poked out a long, hairy leg.

Harry and Arcturus pressed on through the crowd until they found an empty compartment at the end of the train. He pulled out his trunk placing it on the trunk rack and enlarged it. He turned back to Arcturus to say goodbye, and found that he didn't want to say goodbye to the man who had given him more in one month than anyone else in his life that he could remember.

His eyes stung with tears at the thought of seeing him again.

"I don't want to go." He muttered.

"Oh, and why is that?"

"I don't want to leave you or Rosey, or the house and not be able to go back." Harry's voice caught in hist throat and he could say no more.

Arcturus enfolded Harry into a tight hug. "Haydin you're not leaving forever, and there is always owl post you can mail me anytime you want. And I know that Rosey will be delighted to hear that you will miss her, I am. I will miss you as well, I want you to write me tomorrow to tell me what house you are sorted into." Arcturus softly spoke to Harry.

Harry sniffed and nodded his head. Letting go of Harry, Arcturus pressed a package into Harry's hand.

"What is this?"

"It is a lunck made for you by Rosey, though I would call it a veritable feast with how much she packed in there. And this is from me." Arcturus handed him a small square mirror and a small glass spinning top. "The mirror is a foe glass, a mirror that detects reveals its user's enemies, in more detail according to their proximity to the user. I had it modified to show you people who have less then honest intentions towards you, so you know who to aviod. And the glass spinning top is a sneakoscope they emit shrill noises in the presence of deception, like when an untrustworthy person is near or when a deceitful event takes place nearby." Arcturus explained the gifts.

Harry was amazed by the magical items and repeatedly thanked Arcturus for them. After another hug and one last goodbye and the promise of letters, Harry was left standing by himself in the compartment. Deciding to get dressed into his school robes so that he would be ready for when the arrived at the school.

* * *

Just as he finished putting on his robes the compartment door was opened by two red-haired twins.

"It seems as if our usual compartment is taken dear brother." One twin said to the other.

"Yes, it seems to have been, and by an ickle firstie too." The other replied.

"What ever shall we do-"

"Where ever shall we go-"

"If not here?" Both said at the same time.

Harry who felt like he was watching a tennis match answered.

"Well there is always the floor in the hall." He told them blandly.

"Oy, Fred! The firstie has a mouth on him."

"Too right you are brother mine. And a quick one at that." The now named Fred replied to his brother.

"Well then, if you don't mind us we'll sit here with you." They both said flopping down on the oppisite side of the sompartment.

"To introduce ourselves, he's Fred." The twin speaking pointing to Fred.

"And he's George, and we're the-" Fred pointing to George.

"Weasley twins." The chorused.

"I'm Haydin Potter-Black, please call me Harry though." Harry said.

* * *

**Authors note- I am sorry to the people who may get confused about the chapters. Also to the people who review as a guest and ask me questions, then you will not get answers as I won't take up space in the chapters answering questions to people about my story. I refuse to be an author who makes people think that they've got a long chapter to find out over half of it is answers to reviewers. Though I will take note of your questions and try to answer them in sometime in the story.**

**Thank you for reading and to all those who have reviewed, even the flamer. :3**


	5. The Train Ride Part 1

**Disclaimer- The Harry Potter series or that associated with it does not belong to me.**

**Enjoy reading.**

* * *

Chapter 5

THE TRAIN RIDE PART 1

* * *

"To introduce ourselves, he's Fred." The twin speaking pointing to Fred.

"And he's George, and we're the-" Fred pointing to George.

"Weasley twins." The chorused.

"I'm Haydin Potter-Black, please call me Harry though." Harry said.

"Blimey!" George excalimed. "Are you really-?"

"He is." Fred answered. "Look at his scar, you can just see it through his hair. You are Harry Potter right?"

"What?" Said Harry confused at what the twins were getting at.

"Harry Potter, The-Boy-Who-Lived." Chorused the twins.

"Oh, him. I mean- Yes, I am." Harry said.

The two boys gawked at him, and Harry felt himself turning red from embarrassment. Then to his relief, a voice came floating in through the train's open door.

"Fred? George? Where are you?" A voice called.

"Coming Mum." The twins called back.

With a last look at Harry, the twins hopped off the train.

Harry scooted down next to the window half hidden wher

* * *

e he could watch the red-haired family on the platform and hear what they were saying. Their mother had just taken out her handkerchief.

"Ron, you've got something on your nose."

The youngest boy tried to jerk out of the way, but she grabbed him and began rubbing the end of his nose.

"Mum! Geroff" He whined trying to wriggle free.

"Ah, has ickle Ronniekins got somefink on his nosie?" George asked.

"Shut up." The boy named Ron said.

"Where's Percy?" Their mother asked.

"He's coming now." A little red haired girl said.

The oldest boy came striding into sight. He was already changed into his billowing black Hogwarts robes, and Harry noticed a shiny silver badge on his chest with the letter P on it.

"Can't stay long Mother." He said. "I'm up front, the prefects have got two compartments to themselves-"

"Oh are you a prefect, Percy?" Fred said with an air of great surprise. "You should have said something, we had no idea."

"Hang on. I think I remember him saying something about it." George said to his twin. "Once-"

"Or twice-"

"A minute-"

"All summer-"

"Oh shut up." Percy the Prefect told Fred and George.

"How come Percy gets new robes, anyway?" George asked.

"Because he's a prefect." Their mother answered fondly. "All right dear, well have a good term- Send me an owl when you get there."

She kissed Percy on the cheek and he left. Then she turned to the twins.

"Now, you two- Tis year, you two will behave yourselves. If I get one more owl telling me you've- You've blown up a toilet or-" Their mother was cut off by both twins.

"Blown up a toilet? We've never blown up a toilet." Fred started.

"Great idea though, thanks for the idea mum." George finished.

"It's not funny. And look after Ron, it's his first year." The woman said.

"Don't worry, ickle Ronniekins is safe with us." Both twins said.

"Shut up." Ron told the twins again. He was almost as tall as the twins already and his nose was still pink where his mother had rubbed it, though the smudge was still there.

"Hey mum, guess what? Guess who we just met on the train?" The twins said excitedly.

Harry quickly leaned back so they wouldn't see him looking if the twins pointed out his compartment.

"Who?"

"Harry Potter!"

Harry heard the little girl's voice speak.

"Oh mum can I go on the train and see him? Mum please, oh please?"

"You're not allowed on the train when it's about to leave Ginny. And did you really see him Fred, George? How do you know?"

"Asked him, saw his scar. It's really there- It really does look like lightning." Fred said.

"I wonder how everybody knows what it looks like, when no one has ever seen him before he went to Diagon Alley on July 31." George asked.

"I wondered if he would need any help getting on the platform, the poor dear."

"Why would he need help getting on the platform, shouldn't his family be helping him?" The twins asked.

"Never mind that, do you think he remembers what You-Know-Who looks like?" The boy Ron cut in.

Their mother suddenly became very stern from the questions, the twins thought it was most likely because of Ron.

"I forbid you to ask him any questions about that. No, don't you dare. As though he needs to be hassled about things on his first day at school."

"All right, keep your hair on." "Yes mum." The twins and Ron said respectively.

A whistle sounded.

"Hurry up!" Their mother said, and the three boys clambered onto the train. They leaned out of the window for her to kiss them good-bye, and their younger sister began to cry.

"Don't, Ginny, we'll send you loads of owls." Fred called out.

"We'll send you a Hogwarts' toilet seat." George joked.

"Fred!" Their mother reprimanded.

"I was only joking mum."

* * *

The train then began to move. Harry saw the boys' mother waving and their sister half laughing, half crying, running to keep up with the train trying to look in the compartment windows until it gathered too much speed, then she fell back and waved.

Harry watched the girl and her mother disappear as the train rounded the corner, thinking about what he'd heard the family say about him. Streets and houses flashed past the window. Harry felt a great leap of excitement. He didn't know what was going to happen- But he now at least had Arcturus to go to when he wanted to ask about things.

The door of the compartment slid open and the youngest redheaded boy, Ron came in.

"Anyone sitting there?" He asked, pointing at the seat opposite Harry. "Everywhere else is full." Ron said shifting with a pinched face.

Harry shook his head and Ron sat down. He glanced at Harry and then looked quickly out of the window, pretending he hadn't looked before repeating it. Harry saw that he still had a black mark on his nose.

"Hey, Ron."

The twins were back.

"Listen, we're going down to the middle of the train- Lee Jordan's got a giant tarantula down there." George said.

"Right." Mumbled Ron looking pale.

"Harry." Fred said. "This is Ronald, our brother come get us if you need anything." Fred said to Harry.

"Okay."

"See you later, then." Both twins said turning to go into the corridor.

"Bye." Both Harry and Ron said. The twins then slid the compartment door shut behind them.

"Are you really Harry Potter?" Ron blurted out, looking excited.

Harry nodded not knowing what he should do.

"Oh good. I thought that it might be one of Fred and George's jokes." Ron told Harry. "And have you really got the you know- The scar?"

He pointed at Harry's forehead.

A little put off Harry pulled back his bangs to show the lightning scar. And Ron stared gawking at it.

"It's real! So that's where You-Know-Who- I didn't really believe it when I was first told about you, I mean how could you survive the curse when everyone else died. I mean even your parents died but you didn't, and you were only a baby! How was I supposed to believe that?" Ron said still staring at Harry's scar.

"Yes, but I can't remember it." Harry said quickly not wanting to continue the conversation with the other boy.

"Nothing?" Ron eagerly asked.

"No, I remember nothing."

"Oh." Ron said disappointed. He then sat and stared at Harry, until Harry got tired of the staring.

"Are all your family wizards?" Harry asked. He found Ron's family almost as interesting as Ron found him. Afterall he didn't stare at the family because of who they were.

"Er- Yes, I think so." Ron said slowly. "I think mum's got a second cousin who's an accountant, but we never talk about him."

"Do you must know loads of magic already?" Harry eagerly asked.

The Weasleys could be one of those old wizarding families the pale boy in Diagon Alley had talked about.

"I heard you went to live with Muggles." Ron asked ignoring Harry's question "What are they like?"

Harry didn't know how to answer that question. While most non-magical people weren't bad his family was, but he didn't want to tell Ron that.

"It was different, they don't have magic so they can't floo or apparate anywhere. You're lucky, I wish I had three brothers." Harry asked trying to change the conversation.

"Five." Ron said looking gloomy. "I'm the sixth boy in our family, and I finally get to go to Hogwarts. You could say I've got a lot to live up to. Bill and Charlie have already left- Bill was head boy and Charlie was captain of Quidditch. Now Percy's a prefect. Fred and George mess around a lot, but they still get really good marks and everyone thinks they're really funny. Everyone expects me to do as well as the others, but if I do it's no big deal because they did it first. You never get anything new either, with five brothers. I've got Bill's old robes, Charlie's old wand along with Percy's old rat."

Ron reached inside his jacket and pulled out a fat gray rat, which was asleep.

"His name's Scabbers and he's useless, he hardly ever wakes up. Percy got an owl from my dad for being made a prefect, but they couldn't aff- I mean, I got Scabbers instead."

Ron's ears went pink. He seemed to think he'd said too much, because he went back to staring out of the window.

Harry didn't think there was anything wrong with not being the first or the only one to do things, he rather not be alone and loved and be a part of the family. He also didn't think that ther was anything wrong with not getting new things all the time, if it was still good and usable why waste money on getting all new things. And not being able to afford an owl was okay because after all he'd never had any money in his life until a month ago, and he told Ron so all about having to wear Dudley's old clothes and never getting proper birthday presents. That cheered Ron up.

"-and until Hagrid told me, I didn't know anything about being a wizard or about my parents or Voldemort-"

Ron gasped and flinched.

"What?" Harry asked wondering if Ron was hurt.

"You said You-Know-Who's name!" Ron said sounding both shocked and impressed. "I'd have thought you, of all people-"

"I'm not brave or anything by saying the name" Harry told Ron. "I just don't see why you shouldn't. See what I mean, I've got loads to learn. I bet- I bet I'll probably be the worst in class." Harry said voicing for the first time something that had been worrying him a lot lately, even with Arcturus' help.

"You might be." Ron said, and that was the end of their conversation.

* * *

The train had carried them out of London and now they were speeding past fields full of cows and sheep. Ron was quiet for a time, watching the fields and lanes flick past. While Harry had gotten out his class books out and started writing into his notebook on things that he might need to remember.

Around twelve thirty in the afternoon there was a squeaky clattering outside in the corridor and a smiling, dimpled woman slid back their door and asked. "Anything off the cart dears?"

Harry looked up at the lady but Ron's ears went pink again and he turned his head muttering that he'd brought sandwiches. Harry went out into the corridor.

He had never had any money for candy with the Dursleys. And now that he had pockets jingling with galleons and sickles that Arcturus had given him, he wanted to buy some wizarding chocolate. She had Bettie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, Drooble's Best Blowing Gum, Chocolate Frogs. Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron Cakes, Licorice Wands, and a number of other strange things Harry had never seen in his life. Wanting to try the chocholate frogs Harry bought a box of them paying seven bronze Knuts.

Ron stared as Harry brought it back in to the compartment and took out the box that Rosey had prepared for him earlier that morning. Taking out cheese sandwiches, salads, stew and pudding.

"Hungry, are you?" Ron asked seeing all that Harry had for lunch.

"Just a bit, I haven't eaten since early this morning." Harry said before taking a large bite out of a cheese sandwich.

Ron had taken out a lumpy package and unwrapped it. There were four sandwiches inside. He pulled one of them apart and said. "Mum always forgets I don't like corned beef." He said while eyeing Harry's food.

"Swap you for one of these." Feeling bad Harry offered holding up another sandwich. "Go on-" He prompted Ron.

"You don't want this, it's all dry. Mum hasn't got much time you know, with five of us." He added quickly, looking a little angry.

"Have a sandwich, it's not like I'll miss it with how much stuff I've got." Harry rebutted, he'd never had anything to share before or anyone to share it with. It was a nice feeling, sitting there with Ron even though he wasn't sure he liked him much. Eating through Harry's little feast.

"What are these?" Harry asked Ron when he was done his lunch, holding up a Chocolate Frog that he'd bought from the candy lady. "They're not really frogs, are they?" It wouldn't surprise him if they were.

"No." Ron said. "But see what the card is. I'm missing Agrippa."

"What?"

"Oh of course, you wouldn't know- Chocolate Frogs have cards inside them you know, to collect- Famous witches and wizards. I've got about five hundred, but I haven't got Agrippa or Ptolemy."

Harry unwrapped his Chocolate Frog and picked up the card. It showed a man's face. He wore half-moon glasses, had a long crooked nose and flowing silver hair, beard and mustache. Underneath the picture was the name Albus Dumbledore.

"So this is Dumbledore!" Harry said.

"Don't tell me you've never heard of Dumbledore!" Ron exclaimed. "Can I have a frog? I might get Agrippa- Thanks-"

Harry turned over his card and read.

* * *

ALBUS DUMBLEDORE

CURRENTLY HEADMASTER OF HOGWARTS

Considered by many the greatest wizard in modern times, Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's blood, and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel. Professor Dumbledore enjoys chamber music and tenpin bowling.

* * *

Harry turned the card back over and was astonished, Dumbledore's face had disappeared.

"He's gone!" He said to Ron.

"You can't expect him to hang around all day. He'll be back. Damn, I got Morgana again and I've got about six of her. Here you can start collecting." Ron shoved the card towards Harry.

Ron's eyes stared at the box of Chocolate Frogs still unwrapped.

"Have another, just don't eat them all. In the non-magical world the people just stay put in photos and don't move."

"Do they? Really, they don't move at all?" Ron sounded amazed. "Weird!"

Harry stared as Dumbledore sidled back into the picture on his card and gave him a small smile. Ron was more interested in eating the frogs than looking at the Famous Witches and Wizards cards, but Harry couldn't keep his eyes off them. Soon he had not only Dumbledore and Morgana, but Hengist of Woodcroft, Alberic Grunnion, Circe, Paracelsus, and Merlin. He finally tore his eyes away from the Druidess Cliodna who was scratching her nose, to go back to his books.

The countryside now flying past the window was becoming wilder. The neat fields had gone, now there were woods, twisting rivers, and dark green hills.

There was a knock on the door of their compartment and the round-faced boy Harry had passed on platform nine and three-quarters came in. He looked tearful.

"Sorry to interrupt, but have you seen a toad at all?" The boy asked.

Both Ron and Harry shook their heads.

"I've lost him! He keeps getting away from me!" He cried

"I'm sure he'll turn up somewhere soon." Harry tried to comfort the boy.

"Yes." The boy miserably said. "If you see him can you bring him to me?"

"Of course" Harry agreed.

And the boy left.

* * *

"Don't know why he's so bothered, if I'd brought a toad I'd lose it as quick as I could. Mind you, I brought Scabbers, so I can't really talk." Ron said. Harry didn't really agree with that, it seemed as if the toad really meant something to the boy.

Scabbers the rat was still snoozing on Ron's lap.

"He might have died and you wouldn't know the difference." Ron said disgustedly. "I tried to turn him yellow yesterday to make him more interesting, but the spell didn't work. I'll show you, look"

He shove his hand into his pocket and pulled out a battered looking wand. It was chipped in places and something white was glinting at the end.

"Unicorn hair's nearly poking out. Anyway-"

He had just raised his wand when the compartment door slid open again. The boy who'd lost his toad was back, but this time he had a girl with him. She was already wearing her new Hogwarts robes.

"Has anyone seen a toad? Neville's lost one." The girl asked. She had a bossy sort of voice, lots of bushy brown hair and large front teeth.

"We've already told him we haven't seen it." Ron said but the girl wasn't listening, she was looking at the wand in his hand.

"Oh, are you doing magic? Let's see it then."

She sat down. Ron looked taken aback.

"Alright." He cleared his throat.

Sunshine, daisies, butter this stupid, fat rat yellow."

He waved his wand, but nothing happened. Scabbers stayed gray and fast asleep.

"Are you sure that's a real spell? Well if it is, it's not very good, is it? I've tried a few simple spells just for practice and it's all worked for me. Nobody in my family's magic at all, it was ever such a surprise when I got my letter but I was ever so pleased of course. I mean it's the very best school of witchcraft there is, I've heard- I've memorized all our course books by heart of course, I just hope it will be enough- I'm Hermione Granger by the way, who are you?" The girl said all this very fast.

Harry looked at her in wonder, he hadn't learned all the course books by heart.

"I'm Ron Weasley." Ron muttered.

"Haydin Potter-Black, Harry for short." Harry introduced himself.

"Are you really? I know all about you, of course- I got a few extra books for background reading and you're in Modern Magical History, and The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts, and Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century." Hermione recited.

"Am I?" Harry asked feeling dazed.

"Goodness didn't you know, I'd have found out everything I could if it was me." Hermione said. "Do either of you know what house you'll be in? I've been asking around, and I hope I'm in Gryffindor it sounds by far the best. I hear Dumbledore himself was in it, but I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn't be too bad. Anyway you had better change you know, I expect we'll be there soon." Hermione said at the end talking to Ron who hadn't even changed into his robes yet.


	6. The Train Ride Part 2 And The Sorting

**Disclaimer- The Harry Potter series or that associated with it does not belong to me.**

**Authors note- Have a nice read. This follows canon quite a bit, though you can tell where I've made changes to it. And I might not have followed it as much as I say, it depends on how you look at it. Read and find out.**

* * *

Chapter 6

THE TRAIN RIDE PART 2 AND THE SORTING

* * *

"Are you really? I know all about you, of course- I got a few extra books for background reading and you're in Modern Magical History, and The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts, and Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century." Hermione recited.

"Am I?" Harry asked feeling dazed.

"Goodness didn't you know, I'd have found out everything I could if it was me." Hermione said. "Do either of you know what house you'll be in? I've been asking around, and I hope I'm in Gryffindor it sounds by far the best. I hear Dumbledore himself was in it, but I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn't be too bad. Anyway you had better change you know, I expect we'll be there soon." Hermione said at the end talking to Ron who hadn't even changed into his robes yet.

And she left, taking the toadless boy with her.

"Whatever house I'm in, I hope she's not in it." Ron said as he shoved his wand back into his pocket. "Stupid spell- George gave it to me, bet he knew it was a dud."

"She was just excited, I'm sure she's not as bad as you think. What house are your brothers in?" Harry asked trying not to start a fight.

"Yeah right, she's probably worse, stupid know-it-all. And my brothers are in Gryffindor." Ron said starting to get gloomy again. "Mum and Dad were in it too. I don't know what they'll say if I'm not. I don't suppose Ravenclaw would be too bad, but imagine if they put me in Slytherin or Hufflepuff."

"Slytherin's the house Vol- I mean, You-Know-Who was in right?"

"Yeah." Ron then flopped back into his seat, looking depressed.

"You know, I think the ends of Scabbers' whiskers are a bit lighter." Harry, trying to be nice and take Ron's mind off houses. "So what do your oldest brothers do now that they've left school?" Harry asked wondering what a wizard did once they'd finished school.

"Charlie's in Romania studying dragons, and Bill's in Africa doing something for Gringotts. Did you hear about Gringotts? It's been all over the Daily Prophet, but I don't suppose you get that with the Muggles- Someone tried to rob a high security vault."

Harry stared acting like he knew nothing. "Really? What happened to them?"

"Nothing, that's why it's such big news. They haven't been caught. My dad says it must've been a powerful Dark wizard to get round Gringotts, but they don't think they took anything that's what's odd. 'Course, everyone gets scared when something like this happens in case You-Know-Who's behind it."

Harry turned this news over in his mind. He was starting to get a bad feeling whenever Voldemort was mentioned, starting at his scare. He hadn't mentioned it to Arcturus yet, because he didn't know what it meant. Though he supposed this was all part of entering the magical world, but it had been a lot more comfortable saying "Voldemort" without worrying.

"What's your Quidditch team?" Ron asked.

"I don't know any really, I have been living with muggles." Harry mildly snapped at Ron, not happy that the boy kept asking things that Harry could not either answer or want to explain.

"What!" Ron looked dumbfounded. "Oh, you wait, it's the best game in the world-" And he was explaining all about the four balls and the positions of the seven players, describing famous games he'd been to with his brothers and the broomstick he'd like to get if he had the money. He was just taking Harry through the finer points of the game when the compartment door slid open yet again, but it wasn't Neville the toadless boy or Hermione Granger this time.

* * *

Three boys entered and Harry recognized the middle one at once, it was the pale boy from Madam Malkin's robe shop. He was looking at Harry with a lot more interest than he'd shown back in Diagon Alley.

"Is it true?" He said. "They're saying all down the train that Harry Potter's in this compartment. So it's you, is it?"

"Yes." Harry said slowly, already tired of people wanting to talk to him just because of his name. He looked at the two other boys, both of them were thickset and looked slow. Standing on either side of the pale boy, they looked a lot like bodyguards.

"This is Crabbe and this is Goyle." The pale boy carelessly introduced, noticing where Harry was looking. "And my name's Malfoy, Draco Malfoy."

Ron gave a cough and a snort, probably trying to hide a snigger, he failed miserably because he didn't really try to hide it. The boy Draco Malfoy looked at him.

"Think my name's funny, do you? No need to ask who you are my father told me all the Weasleys have red hair, freckles, and more children than they can afford."

He turned back to Harry. "You'll soon find out some wizarding families are much better than others Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there."

He held out his hand to shake Harry's. Harry took the hand.

"I can tell who the wrong sort are for myself, thank you." Harry said coolly but politely, just like Arcturus had taught him to.

Draco Malfoy didn't go red, but a pink tinge appeared in his pale cheeks.

"I'd be careful if I were you, Potter." He said slowly. "You hang around with riffraff like the Weasleys and that Hagrid, and it'll rub off on you pulling you down with them."

Ron stood up.

"Say that again." Ron said, his face as red as his hair.

"Oh you going to fight us, are you?" Malfoy sneered.

"Please leave I don't want any trouble, especially as all of us will be in trouble if we get caught fighting on the train before school even starts." Harry said once more coolly and politely.

"But we don't feet like leaving, do we boys? We've eaten all our food and you still seem to have some."

Goyle reached toward the Chocolate Frogs next to Ron- Ron leapt forward, but before he'd so much as touched Goyle. Goyle let out a horrible yell.

Scabbers the rat was hanging off his finger, sharp little teeth sunk deep into Goyle's knuckle- Crabbe and Malfoy backed away as Goyle swung Scabbers round and round howling, and when Scabbers finally flew off and hit the window all three of them disappeared at once. Perhaps they thought there were more rats lurking among the food, or perhaps they'd heard footsteps because a second later Hermione Granger had come in.

"What has been going on?" She said looking at the food all over the floor, and Ron picking up Scabbers by his tail.

"I think he's been knocked out." Ron said to Harry. He looked closer at Scabbers. "No- I don't believe it- He's gone back to sleep."

And so the rat had.

"You've met Malfoy before?" Ron asked

Harry sighed and explained about their meeting in Diagon Alley.

"I've heard of his family." Ron said darkly. "They were some of the first to come back to our side after You-Know-Who disappeared. Said they'd been bewitched. My dad doesn't believe it. He says Malfoy's father didn't need an excuse to go over to the Dark Side." He turned to Hermione not giving Harry a chance to reply. "Can we help you with something?"

"You'd better hurry up and put your robes on, I've just been up to the front to ask the conductor and he says we're nearly there. You haven't been fighting have you? You'll be in trouble before we even get there!"

"Scabbers has been fighting not us." Ron said scowling at her. "Would you mind leaving while I change?"

"You could just go to the bathroom, it's just down the corridor three doors down."

"I don't want to leave so go away!" Ron raised his voise close to shouting.

"Alright I just came in here because people outside are behaving very childishly, racing up and down the corridors." Hermione said in a sniffy voice. "And you've got dirt on your nose, by the way, did you know?" She then turned and left.

Ron glared at her as she left. Harry peered out of the window lost in thought about Ron, he didn't like the boy much. He was turning out to be a very nasty and rude boy, Hermione had only been trying to be nice and Ron had nearly shouted at her. Looking around out the window it was getting dark. He could see mountains and forests under a deep purple sky. The train did seem to be slowing down.

Ron took off his jacket and pulled on his long black robes. Ron's were a bit short for him, you could see his sneakers underneath them.

A voice echoed through the train. "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately." Harry put his school book and notebook with the choclate frogs away in his trunk, before standing and waiting to get off the train.

* * *

Harry's stomach was tightly bunched with nerves, and Ron he saw looked pale under his freckles. And opening the door to see the crowd thronging the corridor, joing the crowd Harry tried to get seperated from Ron. Failing to lose Ron Harry stood by the train door.

The train slowed right down and finally stopped. People were pushing their way toward the door and out on to a tiny, dark platform. Harry shivered in the cold night air. Then a lamp came bobbing over the heads of the students, and Harry heard a familiar voice. "Firs' years! Firs' years over here! Oh are yeh all right there Harry?"

Hagrid's big hairy face was visible over the sea of heads.

"C'mon, follow me- Any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!"

Slipping and stumbling, they followed Hagrid down what seemed to be a steep narrow path. It was so dark on either side of them that Harry thought there must be thick trees there. Nobody spoke much. Neville the boy who kept losing his toad, sniffed once or twice.

"Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," Hagrid called over his shoulder, "Jus' round this bend here."

There was a loud "Oooooh!" And Harry's breath caught in his throat when he looked up and saw Hogwarts.

The narrow path had opened suddenly onto the edge of a great black lake. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side its windows sparkling in the starry sky, was a vast castle with many turrets and towers.

"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore. Harry was followed into a boat by Ron and was joined by Neville and Hermione.

"Everyone in?" Hagrid shouted, who had a boat to himself. "Right then- FORWARD!"

And the fleet of little boats moved off all at once, gliding across the lake which was as smooth as glass. Everyone was silent, staring up at the great castle overhead. It towered over them as they sailed nearer and nearer to the cliff on which it stood.

"Heads down!" Hagrid yelled out as the first boats reached the cliff, they all bent their heads and the little boats carried them through a curtain of ivy that hid a wide opening in the cliff face. They were carried along a dark tunnel which seemed to be taking them right underneath the castle, until they reached a kind of underground harbor where they clambered out onto rocks and pebbles.

"Oy whose toad is this?" Hagrid called out from where he was checking the boats when people climbed out of them.

"Trevor!" Neville cried out happily, holding the toad in his hands. Then they clambered up a passageway in the rock after Hagrid's lamp, coming out at last onto smooth damp grass right in the shadow of the castle.

They walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge oak front door.

"Everyone here? You there, still got yer toad?" Hagrid then raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door.

* * *

THE SORTING HAT

* * *

The door swung open at once. A tall black-haired witch in emerald-green robes stood there. She had a very stern face and Harry's first thought was that this was not someone to cross.

"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall." Hagrid told the woman.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here." The woman replied.

She pulled the door wide. The entrance hall was so big you could have fit the whole of the Dursleys' house in it. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches like the ones at Gringotts, the ceiling was too high to make out and a magnificent marble staircase facing them led to the upper floors.

They followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor. Harry could hear the drone of hundreds of voices from a doorway to the right- The rest of the school must already be here- But Professor McGonagall showed the first years into a small, empty chamber off the hall. They crowded in standing rather closer together than they would usually have done, peering about nervously.

"Welcome to Hogwarts." Professor McGonagall started. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory and spend time in your house common room.

"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rulebreaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours. Any questions?" Professor McGonagall asked.

Harry stepped forward a bit. "What happens when a house wins the house cup at the end of the year?"

"The house cup shall be given to the head of the houses' and will be on display in their office until the next year end, which it will then awarded to the next house winner. Is that all the questions you have." The Professor McGonagall looked around at the new students, trying to see if any would ask a question.

Harry didn't see much of a point to the house points, if the only trophy for winning was a cup that would only be given to the house head at the end of the year.

"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting." Professor McGonagall said. Her eyes lingered for a moment on Neville's cloak, which was fastened under his left ear, and on Ron's smudged nose. Harry nervously tried to flatten his hair.

"I shall return when we are ready for you." Professor McGonagall said as she was turning to leave. "Please wait quietly." And she left the chamber. Harry swallowed.

"How exactly do they sort us into houses?" Asked himself, he had tried asking Arcturus. But the man would only say that he would be sorted in the house that will best help him to achieve the most, according to his most prominent attributes.

"Some sort of test, I think. Fred said it hurts a lot, but I think he was joking." Ron answered without even noticing that Harry wasn't even talking to him.

He looked around anxiously and saw that everyone looked nervous too. No was talking except Hermione Granger, who was whispering very fast about all the spells she'd learned and wondering which one she'd need. Harry tried hard not to listen to her. He'd never been more nervous, never. Not even when he'd had to take a school report home to the Dursleys saying that he'd not only outdine Dudley but had also somehow turned his teacher's wig blue. He kept his eyes fixed on the door. Any second now, Professor McGonagall would come back and lead him to his doom.

Then something happened that almost made him jump about a foot in the air- Several people behind him screamed.

"What the-?" He gasped. So did the people around him. About twenty ghosts had just streamed through the back wall. Pearly-white and slightly transparent, they glided across the room talking to one another and hardly glancing at the first years. They seemed to be arguing. What looked like a fat little monk was saying. "Forgive and forget, I say we ought to give him a second chance-"

"My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves? He gives us all a bad name and you know, he's not really even a ghost- I say, what are you all doing here?"

A ghost wearing a ruff and tights had suddenly noticed the first years.

Nobody answered.

"New students!" The Fat Friar said smiling at them. "About to be Sorted, I suppose?"

A few people nodded mutely.

"Hope to see you in Hufflepuff!" The Friar said. "My old house, you know."

"Move along now." A sharp voice cut in. "The Sorting Ceremony's about to start."

Professor McGonagall had returned. One by one, the ghosts floated away through the opposite wall.

"Now, form a line." Professor McGonagall told the first years. "And follow me."

* * *

Feeling as though his legs had turned to lead. Harry got into line behind a boy with sandy hair, and Ron pushed and shoved to be behind him. And they walked out of the chamber, back across the hall and through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall.

Harry had never even imagined such a strange and splendid place. It was lit by thousands and thousands of candles that were floating in midair over four long tables, where the rest of the students were sitting. These tables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets. At the top of the hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting. Professor McGonagall led the first years up here so they came to a halt in a line facing the other students, with the teachers behind them. The hundreds of faces staring at them looked like pale lanterns in the flickering candlelight. Dotted here and there among the students, the ghosts shone misty silver. Mainly to avoid all the staring eyes, Harry looked upward and saw a velvety black ceiling dotted with stars.

He heard Hermione whisper to him. "Its bewitched to look like the sky outside. I read about it in Hogwarts, A History."

It was hard to believe there was a ceiling there at all, and that the Great Hall didn't simply open on to the heavens.

Harry quickly looked down again as Professor McGonagall silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the first years. On top of the stool she put a pointed wizard's hat. This hat was patched and frayed and extremely dirty. Aunt Petunia wouldn't have let it in the house if she had seen it.

Maybe they had to try and get a rabbit out of it, Harry thought wildly that seemed the sort of thing- Noticing that everyone in the hall was now staring at the hat, he stared at it too. For a few seconds, there was complete silence. Then the hat twitched. A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth- And the hat began to sing.

* * *

_"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty, but don't judge on what you see. I'll eat myself if you can find a smarter hat than me. You can keep your bowlers black, your top hats sleek and tall, for I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat and I can cap them all. There's nothing hidden in your head The Sorting Hat can't see, so try me on and I will tell you where you ought to be. You might belong in Gryffindor, where dwell the brave at heart. Their daring nerve and chivalry set Gryffindors apart._

_You might belong in Hufflepuff, where they are just and loyal. Those patient Hufflepuffis are true and unafraid of toil. Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw, if you've a ready mind. Where those of wit and learning, will always find their kind._

_Or perhaps in Slytherin you'll make your real friends, those cunning folk use any means to achieve their ends._

_So put me on! Don't be afraid! And don't get in a flap! You're in safe hands, (though I have none) for I'm a Thinking Cap!"_

* * *

The whole hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. It bowed to each of the four tables and then became quite still again.

"So we've just got to try on the hat!" Ron whispered to Harry. "I'll kill Fred, he was going on about wrestling a troll."

Harry. smiled weakly. Yes trying on the hat did sound a lot better than having to wrestle a troll, but he did wish they could have tried it on without everyone watching. The hat seemed to be asking rather alot, Harry didn't feel brave or quick-witted or any of it at the moment. If only the hat had mentioned a house for people who felt a bit queasy, that would have been the one for him.

Professor McGonagall now stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted." She said. "Abbott, Hannah!"

A pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of line, put on the hat which fell right down over her eyes and sat down. A moments pause-

"HUFFLEPUFF!" The hat shouted.

The table on the right cheered and clapped as Hannah went to sit down at the Hufflepuff table. Harry saw the ghost of the Fat Friar waving merrily at her.

"Bones, Susan!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!" The hat shouted out again, and Susan scuttled off to sit next to Hannah.

"Boot, Terry!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

The table second from the left clapped this time, several Ravenclaws stood up to shake hands with Terry as he joined them.

"Brocklehurst, Mandy" Went to Ravenclaw too, but. "Brown, Lavender" Became the first new Gryffindor, and the table on the far left exploded with cheers, Harry could see Ron's twin brothers catcalling.

"Bulstrode, Millicent" Became a Slytherin. Perhaps it was Harry's imagination, after all he'd heard about Slytherin, but he thought they looked like a reserved lot. He was starting to feel definitely sick now. He remembered being picked for teams during gym at his old school. He had always been last to be chosen not because he was no good, but because no one wanted Dudley to think they liked him.

"Finch-Fletchley, Justin!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

Harry noticed that the hat sometimes shouted out the house at once, but at others it took a little while to decide. "Finnigan, Seamus." The sandy-haired boy next to Harry in the line, sat on the stool for almost a whole minute before the hat declared him a Gryffindor.

"Granger, Hermione!"

Hermione was nearly running to the stool, and when she got there jammed the hat eagerly on her head.

"RAVENCLAW!" The hat shouted and Ron let out a relieved groan.

A horrible thought struck Harry, as horrible thoughts always do when you're very nervous. What if he wasn't sorted at all? What if he just sat there with the hat over his eyes for ages, until Professor McGonagall jerked it off his head and said there had obviously been a mistake and he'd better get back on the train?

When Neville Longbottom, the boy who kept losing his toad was called, he fell over on his way to the stool. The hat took a long time to decide with Neville. When it finally shouted, "HUFFLEPUFF!" Neville ran off still wearing it, and had to jog back amid gales of laughter to give it to. "MacDougal, Morag." Who went to Ravenclaw.

Malfoy swaggered forward when his name was called and got his wish at once, the hat had barely touched his head when it screamed. "SLYTHERIN!"

Malfoy went to join his friends Crabbe and Goyle, looking pleased with himself.

There weren't many people left now. "Moon" "Nott" "Parkinson" then a pair of twin girls, "Patil" and "Patil" then "Perks, Sally-Anne" and then, at last- "Potter, Harry!"

As Harry stepped forward, whispers broke out like little hissing fires all over the hall.

"Potter, did she say?"

"The Harry Potter?"

The last thing Harry saw before the hat dropped over his eyes was the hall full of people craning to get a good look at him. Next second he was looking at the black inside of the hat. He waited.

"Hmm" A small voice spoke in his mind. "Difficult. Very difficult. Plenty of courage, I see. Not a bad mind either. There's talent. Oh my goodness, yes- And a nice thirst to prove yourself, now that's interesting. So where shall I put you?"

Harry gripped the edges of the stool and thought. 'Somewhere I'll fit in and belong. Somewhere I'll make friends.'

"Somewhere you'll fit in and belong, where you'll make friends, eh?" The small voice said. "Are you sure? You could be great you know, it's all here in your head no doubt about that- Well, if you're sure- Better be RAVENCLAW!"

Harry heard the last word shouted out, he took off the sorting hat placing it on the stool and walked shakily towards the Ravenclaw table. Relieved to have been sorted, he hardly noticed that he was getting the loudest cheer from the Ravenclaw table. People got up and shook his hand vigorously, while the Weasley twins were heard saying. "We lost Potter1 We lost Potter!" Harry sat on the opposite side of the table from Hermione and the other first years that were already sorted.

He could see the High Table properly now. At the end sat Hagrid, who caught his eye and gave him the thumbs up. Harry grinned back. And there in the center of the High Table, in a large gold chair sat Albus Dumbledore. Harry recognized him at once from the card he'd gotten out of the Chocolate Frog on the train. Dumbledore's silver hair was the only thing in the whole hall that shone as brightly as the ghosts. Harry spotted Professor Quirtell too, the nervous young man from the Leaky Cauldron. He was looking very peculiar in a large purple turban.

And now there were only three people left to be sorted. "Thomas, Dean." A Black boy even taller than Ron, joined the Gryffindor table. "Turpin, Lisa." Became a fellow Ravenclaw and then it was Ron's turn. He was pale green by now. Harry crossed his fingers under the table hoping Ron wouldn't foolow him into Ravenclaw, and a second later the hat had shouted. "GRYFFINDOR!"

Harry sighed happily and politely clapped as Ron collapsed onto the bench at Gryffindor.

"Zabini, Blaise." Became a Slytherin. Professor McGonagall rolled up her scroll and took the Sorting Hat away.

* * *

**Authors Note- I'm sorry I lied about the four days, I couldn't help myself to those of you who know what I'm talking about. I'm posting this before I crash, so goodnight. I will post the feast when I'm not so tired and can write more. Tell me if I've made any mistakes so I can fix them please.**


	7. A Feast And Introduction To Ravenclaw

**Disclaimer- The Harry Potter series or that associated with it does not belong to me.**

**Authors note- Have a nice read.**

* * *

Chapter 7

A FEAST AND INTRODUCTION TO RAVENCLAW

* * *

And now there were only three people left to be sorted. "Thomas, Dean." A Black boy even taller than Ron, joined the Gryffindor table. "Turpin, Lisa." Became a fellow Ravenclaw and then it was Ron's turn. He was pale green by now. Harry crossed his fingers under the table hoping Ron wouldn't foolow him into Ravenclaw, and a second later the hat had shouted. "GRYFFINDOR!"

Harry let out a relieved sigh and politely clapped as Ron collapsed onto the bench at Gryffindor.

"Zabini, Blaise." Became a Slytherin. Professor McGonagall rolled up her scroll and took the Sorting Hat away.

Harry looked down at his empty gold plate. He had only just realized how hungry he was. The food that he ate on the train seemed ages ago.

Albus Dumbledore had gotten to his feet he was beaming at the students, his arms opened wide as if nothing could have pleased him more than to see them all there.

"Welcome. Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are, Nitwit! Blubber Oddment! Tweak!

"Thank you!"

He sat back down. Everybody clapped and cheered.

"Is he- A bit mad?" He asked a nearby prefect uncertainly.

"Mad?" The prefect said airily. "He's a genius! Most wizards in the world that are geniuses are a bit mad, yes. Potatoes, Harry?"

Harry's mouth fell open. The dishes in front of him were now piled with food. He had never seen so many things to eat on one table roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops and lamb chops, sausages, bacon and steak, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, chips, Yorkshire pudding, peas, carrots, gravy, ketchup, and, for some strange reason, peppermint humbugs.

Harry had never been allowed to eat as much as he should. Dudley had always taken anything that Harry really got, even if it made him sick. Harry piled his plate with a smal bit of everything that he would be able to eat, and began to eat. It was all delicious.

A few tables over Harry heard a conversation that really stood out that was at the Gryffindor table.

"That does look good." The ghost in the ruff said sadly, watching one of the first year Gryffindor's cut up his steak.

"Can't you-?"

I haven't eaten for nearly five hundred years I don't need to of course, but one does miss it. I don't think I've introduced myself? Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington at your service. Resident ghost of Gryffindor Tower."

"I know who you are!" Ron said suddenly. "My brothers told me about you- You're Nearly Headless Nick!"

"I would prefer you to call me Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-" The ghost began stiffly, but sandy-haired Seamus Finnigan interrupted.

"Nearly Headless? How can you be nearly headless?"

Sir Nicholas looked extremely miffed, as if their little chat wasn't going at all the way he wanted.

"Like this." He said irritably seizing his left ear and pulled. His whole head swung off his neck and fell onto his shoulder as if it was on a hinge. Someone had obviously tried to behead him, but it had not been done properly. Looking pleased at the stunned looks on their faces, Nearly Headless Nick flipped his head back onto his neck coughed. "So- New Gryffindors! I hope you're going to help us win the house championship this year? Gryffindors have never gone so long without winning. Slytherins have got the cup six years in a row! The Bloody Baron's becoming almost unbearable- He's the Slytherin ghost."

Harry looked over at the Slytherin table and saw a horrible ghost sitting there, with blank staring eyes a gaunt face and robes stained with silver blood. He was right next to Malfoy. Who Harry saw didn't look too pleased with the seating arrangements.

"How did he get covered in blood?" Seamus asked with great interest.

"I've never asked." Said Nearly Headless Nick delicately.

When everyone had eaten as much as they could, the remains of the food faded from the plates, leaving them sparkling clean as before. A moment later the desserts appeared. Blocks of ice cream in every flavor you could think of apple pies, treacle tarts, chocolate eclairs and jam doughnuts, trifle, strawberries, Jell-O, rice pudding-"

As Harry served himself to a treacle tart, he tuned out all of the conversations around him thinking about when he could send a letter to Arcturus.

Thinking of Arcturus just then sent a pang through his chest. Even though it had been barely a day, he missed the older man and the little elf Rosey greatly.

Harry was starting to feel warm and sleepy, looked up at the High Table again. Hagrid was drinking deeply from his goblet. Professor McGonagall was talking to Professor Dumbledore. Professor Quirrell in his absurd turban, was talking to a teacher with greasy black hair a hooked nose and sallow skin.

It happened very suddenly. The hook-nosed teacher looked past Quirrell's turban as the man turned his head, straight into Harry's eyes- And a sharp hot pain shot across the scar on Harry's forehead.

Startled from the sudden pain Harry jumped in his seat.

"Ouch!" He muttered lowly, but not low enough that no one would hear him.

"What is it?" Hermione asked.

"N-nothing." He told the girl.

The pain had gone as quickly as it had come. It was hard to shake off the feeling Harry had gotten from the teacher's look- Harry got the feeling that the teacher didn't like him at all.

"Who is that teacher talking to Professor Quirrell?" He asked the prefect.

"Oh you know Professor Quirrell already do you? No wonder he's looking so nervous, that's Professor Snape. He teaches Potions, but everyone knows he's after Professor Quirrell's job. Knows an awful lot about the Defence Against Dark Arts."

Harry watched Professor Snape for a while, but the professor didn't look at him again.

* * *

At last the desserts too disappeared, and Professor Dumbledore got to his feet again. The hall fell silent.

"Ahem- Just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you.

"First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well."

Dumbledore's twinkling eyes flashed in the direction of the Weasley twins.

"I have also been asked by Mr. Filch the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors. Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch. And finally I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."

Harry was shocked he didn't think that you would hear something like that, in a school no less! Maybe they were having work done to the castle and it was a dangerous place to be?

"He's not serious is he? Could the school be having some construction work done?" Harry asked the prefect from before.

"Must be, it's odd though. Dumbledore normally gives a reason for why students aren't allowed to go somewhere. Like the forbidden forest, it's full of dangerous creatures and everyone knows that. And it wouldn't be construction work, that's normally done in the summer or a notice goes up saying so." The prefect replied frowning at Dumbledore.

Harry thought that it was all very weird as it all seemed like Dumbledore wanted people to investigate the corridor. That he didn't give a reason because it was a treasure for a person to find after going through a series of obstacles, and once through the obstacles they would have to fight something. 'Just like a book, it's all as if the headmaster is trying to create a mystery for someone to solve it.' Harry thought. He was broke out of his thoughts when Dumbledore spoke again.

"And now before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" Dumbledore cried out. Harry noticed that the other teachers' smiles had become rather fixed.

Dumbledore gave his wand a little flick as if he was trying to get a fly off the end, and a long golden ribbon flew out of it. The ribbon rose high above the tables and twisted itself snakelike into words.

"Everyone pick their favorite tune." Dumbledore said. "And off we go!" And the school bellowed.

* * *

_"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts, teach us something please. Whether we be old and bald or young with scabby knees, our heads could do with filling with some interesting stuff for now they're bare and full of air, dead flies and bits of fluff. So teach us things worth knowing. Bring back what we've forgot, just do your best we'll do the rest. And learn until our brains all rot."_

* * *

Everybody finished the song at different times. At last, only the Weasley twins were left singing along to a very slow funeral march. Dumbledore conducted their last few lines with his wand and when they had finished, he was one of those who clapped loudest.

"Ah music." He said wiping his eyes. "A magic beyond all we do here! And now bedtime. Off you trot!"

The Ravenclaw first years followed the leading prefect through the chattering crowds, out of the Great Hall and up the marble staircase. The prefect started to talk when they were the only house walking along the halls. Introducing himself and explaining the Ravenclaw house.

"I'm Prefect Robert Hilliard, and I'm delighted to welcome you to Ravenclaw house. Our emblem is the eagle which soars where others cannot climb, our house colors are blue and bronze. Our common room is found at the top of Ravenclaw Tower, behind a door with an enchanted knocker. The arched windows set into the walls of our circular common room look down at the school grounds, the lake, the Forbidden Forest, the Quidditch pitch and the Herbology gardens. No other house in the school has such stunning views." Done speaking Prefect Robert fell silent and continued to lead the first years to the common room.

Harry's legs were like lead again, but only because he was physically tired and full of food. He wasn't even surprised to see that the people in the portraits along the corridors whispered and pointed as they passed, or that Prefect Robert led them through doorways hidden behind sliding panels and hanging tapestries. It was because that even though Arcturus didn't tell Harry how they were sorted, he did tell him about the school itself.

Harry was just wondering how much farther they had to go when they came to a halt. Prefect Robert turned to the first years and started to speak onces again.

"Without wishing to boast, this is the house where the cleverest witches and wizards live. Our founder Rowena Ravenclaw, prized learning above all else– And so do we. Unlike the other houses, who all have concealed entrances to their common rooms, we don't need one. The door to our common room lies at the top of a tall, winding staircase. It has no handle, but an enchanted bronze knocker in the shape of an eagle. When you rap on the door, this knocker will ask you a question and if you can answer it correctly you are allowed in. This simple barrier has kept out everyone but Ravenclaws since the school began.

Most times first years are scared by having to answer the eagle's questions, but don't worry. You will learn quickly and soon enjoy the challenges the door sets. It's not unusual to find twenty people standing outside the common room door, all trying to work out the answer to the day's question together. This is a great way to meet fellow Ravenclaws from other years, and to learn from them– Although it is a bit annoying if you've forgotten your books or Quidditch robes and need to get in and out in a hurry. In fact I advise you to triple check your bag for everything you need before leaving Ravenclaw Tower." Saying that Prefect Robert rapped on the door.

* * *

_"What is so fragile, that saying its name breaks it?"_

* * *

"The knocker has a soft musical voice, and pays little heed to any sort of dialogue other than that of answering its question." Prefect Robert warned. "Would anybody like to try and answer the question." He asked.

Nobody seemed to want to answer the riddle. Harry wanting to settle into his room stepped forward.

"Silence, saying anything breaks the fragile silence." Harry answered hoping he was right.

The door opened to reveal the entrance way to the Ravenclaw common room.

"Good job Potter. As you've just seen once you answer the riddle the door immediately opens, so be sure to close it on your way out or inside to avoid other people getting in." Prefect Robert advised while leading the first years into Ravenclaw tower.

"Another cool thing about Ravenclaw is that some of our people are the most individual– some might even call them eccentrics. But geniuses are often out of step with ordinary folk, and unlike some other houses we could mention. We think you've got the right to wear what you like, believe what you want, and say what you feel. We aren't put off by people who march to a different tune on the contrary we value them!

Speaking of eccentrics you'll like our Head of house, Professor Filius Flitwick. People often underestimate him, because he's really tiny (we think he's part elf, but we've never been rude enough to ask) and he's got a squeaky voice, but he's the best and most knowledgeable Charms master alive in the world today. His office door is always open to any Ravenclaw with a problem, and if you're in a real state he'll get out these delicious little cupcakes he keeps in a tin in his desk drawer and make them do a little dance for you. In fact it's worth pretending you're in a real state just to see them jive." The prefect joked.

They had arrived in the common room the first years were awestruck by what they saw. It was a wide circular room with a midnight blue carpet, arched windows hung with blue and bronze silks, and a domed ceiling that was painted with glittering stars giving off a small glowing light of their own.

The room was furnished with tables, chairs, and bookcases, and by the door leading up to the dormitories stands a tall statue of a woman (presumably Rowena Ravenclaw herself) made of white marble.

"Ravenclaw house has an illustrious history. Most of the greatest wizarding inventors and innovators were in our house including Perpetua Fancourt the inventor of the lunascope, Laverne de Montmorency a great pioneer of love potions, and Ignatia Wildsmith the inventor of Floo powder. Famous Ravenclaw Ministers for Magic include Millicent Bagnold, who was in power on the night that Harry Potter survived the Dark Lord's curse, and defended the wizarding celebrations all over Britain with the words, 'I assert our inalienable right to party.' There was also Minister Lorcan McLaird who was a quite brilliant wizard, but preferred to communicate by puffing smoke out of the end of his wand." Some of the first years had funny faces at the mention of Minister Lorcan McLaird. Prefect Robert laughed.

"Well I did say we produce eccentrics. In fact we are also the house that gave the wizarding world Uric the Oddball, who used a jellyfish for a hat. He's the punch line of a lot of wizarding jokes. As for our relationship with the other three houses. Well you've probably heard about the Slytherin. They're not all bad, but you'd do well to be on your guard until you know them well. They've got a long house tradition of doing whatever it takes to win– So watch out, especially in Quidditch matches and exams." This he said very seriously and looked over all the first years making sure that they had all gotten the message, before continuing his speaking.

"The Gryffindor's are ok. If I had write a summary, I'd say Gryffindors tend to be show offs. They're also much less tolerant than we are of people who are different, in fact they've been known to make jokes about Ravenclaws who have developed an interest in levitation, or the possible magical uses of troll bogies, or ovomancy which (as you may know) is a method of divination using eggs. Gryffindors haven't got our intellectual curiosity, whereas we've got no problem if you want to spend your days and nights cracking eggs in a corner of the common room and writing down your predictions according to the way the yolks fall. In fact you'll probably find a few people who'll help you.

As for the Hufflepuffs, well nobody could say they're not nice people. They're some of the nicest people in the school. Let's just say you needn't worry too much about them when it comes to competition at exam time.

I think that's nearly everything. Oh yes, our house ghost is the Grey Lady. The rest of the school thinks she never speaks, but she'll talk to Ravenclaws. She's particularly useful if you're lost, or you've mislaid something. I'm sure you'll have a good night, Professor Flitwick will speak to you in the morning, and to hand out your timetables. Our dormitories are in turrets off the main tower, our four poster beds are covered in sky blue silk eiderdowns and the sound of the wind whistling around the windows is very relaxing.

And once again: well done on becoming a member of the cleverest, quirkiest and most interesting house at Hogwarts." Prefect Robert lead the boys to their dormitory, while a previously unnoticed girl prefect came to take the girls to their dormitories.

* * *

Harry and the other boys following Prefect Robert went to a room that had four doors, there were two on each side. The boys all truned to the prefect when he spoke.

"Now in the dorms while you all share a large room together, you have your own separate space along with a bathroom. It has always been this way because some Ravenclaws are quirky and want things a certain way, so Rowena Ravenclaw made it so that nobody would have any problems with having the rooms their way. Also so that you have privacy in your rooms once you have chosen your room, go inside the room close the door, place your hand say your full name, then say the name writtenon it and call the name written on the parchment.

The name on the parchment is the name of your personal house elf that is given to you for the school year, they will immediately pop into your room bringing with them all of your belongings. You cannot release the house elves at all, there is a spell to make you giving the house elf safe from accidentally or intentionally setting them free. So if you have any problems at all with your house elf, tell either one of the Ravenclaw prefects or Professor Flitwick. This also means that you cannot mistreat the elves. Any questions?" Prefect Robert asked looking at the boys, seeing nothing he turned around and left the room leaving the four boys to talk amongst themselves.

"Well first I think we should all introduce ourselves, before picking a room. My name is Terry Boot." Terry spoke then looking at the other three waiting.

"I'm Haydin Potter-Black, you can call me Harry though." Harry spoke up gaining the attention of the three boys.

"Haydin Potter-Black? I thought your name was just Harry Potter, my names Micheal Corner." Micheal told Harry.

"I thought that too until the day after my birthday when I met Arcturus and he claimed me as his heir, please don't tell everyone." Harry answered.

"Arcturus, as in Arcturus Black the head of the family? Oh and my names Anthony Goldstein." Anthony questioned.

"Yes that Arcturus, he's very nice. I lived with him for the last month of the summer, he helped me with a lot of things." Harry said smiling softly. "Now that we've introduced ourselves can we pick a room now, I'm tired we can talk more tomorrow though." Harry said hopefully while trying to hold back a yawn.

"Yeah we should do that it's getting quite late now." Terry said. And they all started talking about who would get what room.

In the end it was Harry on the left side furthest from the door with Terry in the room beside him, and Micheal Corner in the room across from Harry's with Anthony beside him. With that decided the four boys bid each other a goodnight and went to their rooms, closing the door behind them.

Once Harry closed the door he immediately put his hand on it.

"Haydin James Potter-Black." Feeling the now familiar warmth of magic rushing through hi, giving what he could only describe as a welcoming hug. That done he read the name on the parchment.

"Alexi." Harry called out into the empty room, there was a pop behind him barely a moment later.

"Haydin sir call for Alexi. Is Haydin sir be wishing anything before bed?" The little female elf named Alexi asked.

"You can call me Harry, and I don't think I need anything at the moment thank you."

"Yes Haydin sir. You be calling Alexi if you needs anything Haydin sir." And with that said Alexi popped out of the room.

Harry turned to take in the room. In the corner running along side the large wall length windo was the four poster bed and on the end was his trunk. On the left side of the room was a large bookshelf taking up the whole side of the wall, there was a desk and chair with a waste basket in front of the window near the bookshelf, and beside the bed was an night side table, lastly there was a door on the right side of the room leading to the bathroom.

Going to his trunk and pulling out his clothes Harry went to the washroom to clean up for bed. Coming out of the bathroom Harry went to the bed and got in.

* * *

_"As this day has ended and I prepare to rest,  
focus my energies to heal my body while I sleep,  
fill my dreams with beautiful images and sounds,  
sort the thoughts of my mind into orderly files,  
make me ready for tomorrow, ready for  
renewed strength to return to my healing body,  
peace to return to my mind and spirit,  
laughter to return to my lips."_

* * *

Saying his now daily night ritual he was ready to sleep, casting the spell to extinguish the light Harry laid down to sleep.

Perhaps he had eaten a bit too much, because he had a very strange dream. He was wearing Professor Quirrell's turban which kept talking to him, telling him he must transfer to Slytherin at once because it was his destiny. Harry told the turban he didn't want to be in Slytherin, it had gotten heavier and heavier he tried to pull it off but it tightened painfully- And there was Malfoy, laughing at him as he struggled with it. Then Malfoy turned into Professor Snape, whose laugh became high and cold- Then there was a burst of green light and pain. Harry woke sweating and shaking, he got out of bed going to his trunk and getting out a notebook. He then wrote his dream down and when he was done went back to bed falling asleep again. When he woke next day, he wouldn't remember the dream at all.

* * *

**IMPORTANT! Authors note- So I have to tell you guys if you haven't already figured it out, that the Harry Potter book series will NOT ALL be covered in this fic. Only the first book, though when I do finish this story I should already have the first chapter for the second book out that same day. So if you wish to continue reading my work you don't have to wait.**

**Also if you haven't noticed I am following some beliefs and rituals from the pagan and wicca religions, though they may be a bit twisted. So if you have anything that you want to share about these religions you may do so, though be warned I will and have twisted some of the beliefs to suit my tastes for the story. Actually you may tell me anything about any religion or what you think would go with the story, I will consider them all, even the ones that have real life prejudice in them or things aren't morally agreed with will also be considered seriously. As I could put them in my story and make it so that the actual religion has been twisted through some means than what it use to be.**

**Thank you for reading and to all of those who read all of the chapter not just the story, to those who don't- Well you aren't reading this.**


	8. Needed information

**Sadly this is not an update but me informing you that I have read my story over, and I'm not happy with how much information I've left out that is very important to where I want to take this. I left out all of what happened in the month that Harry was with Arcturus and more.**

**So I am now giving you the option of having this fic either stay like it is, or me putting the information that I left out. There is a poll on my profile page for this, please do not review your answer you only have to click my pen name and go to my profile and choose an option you want. Only review or even PM me to bitch at me or if you somehow can't access the poll for your answer.**

**Information that I left that will happen if you all want me to change the fic, will include:**

**Sirius arriving at the home and finding devastation and miraculously finding Harry alive.**

**The wizarding world hearing about the Potter's death.**

**Hagrid going to pick up Harry up from Godric's Hollow.**

**Sirius giving Harry to Hagrid. (I won't tell you more than this.)**

**What happens after Petunia finds Harry on her doorstep.**

**A brief overview of Harry's childhood to form Harry's backround for him so it won't hit you in the face when it comes up in later chapters.**

**Harry's time with Arcturus as I've gotten more than a few questions about why he's so accommodating with Harry.**

**Also I may have to change where Hermione is sorted, she wanted to go to Gryffindor and I haven't changed her character at all, the sorting hat takes your opinion into consideration. Hermione and Harry may still be friends but not until I feel that I can write her without it being forced.**

* * *

**Lastly I'm sorry that I haven't updated in awhile but I got stuck on trying to write how Harry learns more about his parents to the point that I couldn't write at all. And now I'm moving towns. I won't be able to update until I get internet, so you all should have time to decide if you want this fic to change or not. Once again I'm sorry.**


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